MARTIN  ROWAN  CHAFFIN 
COLLECTION 


OF 

PUBLIC  SCHOOL  TEXT-BOOKS 


PRESENTED  TO 

Duke  University 
Library 


MfcNGUM  TOWNSHIP  H.  S. 
bmmm>  n.  C, 

library  no, 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/geographicreader43merr 


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V \u-(r  o 

GEOGRAPHIC  READERS 


BOOK  FOUR 


OUR  COUNTRY 


BY 

F.  A.  MERRILL,  B.Sc. 

HEAD  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  GEOGRAPHY 
STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL 
ATHENS,  GA. 


r- 


A.  C.  WEBB  & COMPANY 

NASHVILLE,  TENN. 


Copyright 

by 


F.  A.  MERRILL 
1915 


BeC  KTOLD 

Printing  ano  Book  Mfg.  Co, 
St.  Louis.  Mo. 


C'C- 

H-T-Z.LK 

/A  f7  ( Q 

PREFACE  BA  lf- 

(A/,  3 

The  basis  of  civilization  and  development  is  industry. 
The  relationship  between  industrial  development  and  nat- 
ural resources  is  close  and  important.  These  geographic 
readers  stress  at  all  times  this  relationship. 

Whatever  geography  textbook  is  used  in  the  elementary 
schools,  it  is  essential  that  many  of  the  important  facts 
found  in  the  text  be  further  elaborated  for  the  benefit  of 
the  pupil.  To  accomplish  this,  good  geographic  readers 
should  be  used.  Such  readers  should  be  carefully  graded 
and  adapted  to  the  child’s  mental  growth  as  he  advances 
from  grade  to  grade. 


I 


The  purpose  of  this  series  of  Geographic  Readers  is  to 
supplement  the  work  of  the  ordinary  geography  text  with 
a more  detailed  treatment  of  geographic  conditions  and 
development.  The  scope  of  geography  teaching  is  con- 
tinually widening  and  the  progressive  teacher  feels  the  need 
of  more  concrete  material  than  is  to  be  found  in  any 
geography  text  for  the  elementary  schools. 

The  prosperity  of  our  own  country,  as  well  as  that  of 


404751 


4 


The  Industries  of  Man 


other  countries,  is  based  upon  its  industrial,  economic  and 
social  activities.  These  activities  in  turn  are  influenced  by 
geographic  environment.  A thorough  knowledge  of  the 
physical  structure  of  any  country  will  give  a clearer  under- 
standing of  its  industrial  progress  and  prosperity. 

Modern  geography  teaching  is  based  upon  type  lessons. 
These  type  lessons  should  treat  of  the  industrial  growth  of 
a country.  For  this  reason  the  main  aim  of  the  present 
series  is  to  establish  a more  thorough  acquaintanceship 
with  the  influences  that  geographic  structure  has  had  upon 
the  industrial  activities  of  man. 

The  books  of  this  series  of  readers  are  carefully  graded 
and  are  intended  to  be  used  in  sequence  as  the  preparation 
of  the  student  makes  it  feasible.  They  are  not  intended 
to  supplant  the  geography  text  used  but  rather  to  supple- 
ment it.  They  are  also  planned  to  correlate  closely  with 
other  school  subjects,  such  as  agriculture,  history,  etc.  It 
is  hoped  that  a careful  reading  of  these  books  will  give 
the  student  a clearer  conception  of  his  own  country  and 
its  growth  than  could  otherwise  be  obtained. 

The  following  suggestions  are  made  to  the  teachers 


Preface 


5 


of  this  series:  A careful  reading  of  each  lesson  text  should 
be  undertaken  by  the  class.  As  much  illustrative  mate- 
rial as  possible  should  be  used  by  the  teacher.  This  mate- 
rial may  consist  of  post  cards,  photographs  or  pictures  of 
any  sort  that  will  illustrate  the  lessons  in  the  text.  Maps 
should  be  consulted  frequently  and  a definite  conception 
of  place  location  should  be  obtained  on  the  part  of  the 
student.  After  the  lesson  has  been  carefully  read  by  the 
class,  it  should  be  discussed  in  detail  by  teacher  and  stu- 
dents. The  teacher  will  find  great  benefit  in  questioning 
the  students  closely  as  to  what  they  have  read.  Short 
compositions  or  essays  should  be  developed  from  thoughts 
suggested  in  the  lessons. 

The  author  is  indebted  to  many  sources  for  his  supply 
of  illustrative  material.  He  wishes  to  express  his  appre- 
ciation for  the  many  courtesies  shown  him  by  the  differ- 
ent departments  of  our  Federal  Government.  He  has  met 
with  a ready  response  from  various  Chambers  of  Com- 
merce throughout  the  country  and  these  have  materially 
aided  him  in  obtaining  illustrative  material.  The  follow- 
ing firms  have  furnished  this  series  of  books  with  many 


404751 


6 


The  Industries  of  Man 


excellent  pictures:  Detroit  Publishing  Co.,  International 
Harvester  Co.,  Boston  and  Maine  R.  R.,  American  Woolen 
Co.,  Macbeth  Glass  Co.,  and  many  others  to  whom  acknowl- 
edgment is  made. 

The  outline  maps  appearing  in  the  texts  have  been 
used  with  the  permission  of  D.  C.  Heath  & Co.  The  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois  and  Cornell  University  have  also  kindly 
loaned  photographs  for  illustrative  purposes.  Many  other 
sources  have  been  drawn  upon  and  opportunity  is  now 
taken  of  acknowledging  the  indebtedness  of  the  author  for 
the  courtesies  shown.  He  has  met  with  such  a ready  re- 
sponse that  it  encourages  him  to  hope  other  teachers  may 
be  similarly  fortunate  in  producing  illustrative  material 
in  the  teaching  of  Geography.  Wherever  special  acknowl- 
edgment of  pictures  must  be  made,  such  acknowledgment 
appears  in  the  texts. 

THE  AUTHOR 


Athens,  Georgia 


CONTENTS 


Page 

Where  We  Live 11 

How  Our  Country  Has  Grown 21 

The  Appalachian  Highlands 31 

The  Great  Mississippi  Valley 41 

The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands 51 

Our  Rivers  and  Lakes 61 

Our  Harbors  71 

Our  Agricultural  Areas 82 

Our  Mining  Areas 91 

Our  Great  Forests 101 

Where  Corn  is  Grown 110 

Where  Cotton  is  Grown 119 

Where  Wheat  is  Grown 127 

Manufacturing  Centers 136 

Locations  of  Our  Great  Cities 143 

The  New  England  States 156 

The  Central  States 167 

The  Southern  States 177 

The  Plateau  States 188 

The  Pacific  States 198 

Our  Island  Possessions 208 

The  Capital  of  Our  Country 217 

Our  Largest  City 227 

The  Panama  Canal 241 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Page 

Capitol  at  Washington 

Frontispiece 


Location  of  Our  Country 

(map)  12 

The  Louisiana  Purchase 

(map)  27 

View  in  Appalachian  High- 
lands   32 

Mississippi  River 42 

A Scene  in  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains   52 

Colorado  Canyon 56 

Hudson  River  at  West  Point. . 63 

Along  the  Great  Lakes 69 

New  York  Harbor 78 

Our  Agricultural  Areas  (map)  83 
Coal  Areas  of  Ou-r  Country 

(map)  92 

Forest  Areas  of  Our  Country 

(map)  102 

The  Corn  Area  of  Our  Coun- 
try (map)  Ill 

A Corn  Field 115 

The  Cotton  Area  of  Our  Coun- 
try (map)  120 

A Field  of  Cotton .* 124 

Wheat  Areas  of  Our  Country 
(map)  128 


Page 

A Wheat  Field 131 

A Manufacturing  District 137 

Iron  Mill 139 

Chicago  Lake  Front ,146 

Boston  Harbor  148 

Cotton  on  the  Wharf  at  New 

Orleans  151 

The  Golden  Gate 154 

Along  the  New  England 

Coast  161 

Scene  in  the  White  Mountains.  163 
A Farm  in  the  Central  States.  169 

Stock  Farm 171 

Picking  Cotton  178 

A Pine  Forest 183 

An  Irrigation  Plant 196 

A California  Fruit  Orchard. . .202 

A Sawmill  203 

Scene  in  Manila 213 

The  Washington  Monument. . .218 

Library  of  Congress 224 

New  York  from  the  Harbor... 228 

Skyscrapers  233 

Street  Cleaning 235 

Skating  in  Central  Park 237 

A Lock  in  the  Panama  Canal.. 246 
Boat  Passing  through  Canal.  .249 


CAPITOL  AT  WASHINGTON 


OUR  COUNTRY 


WHERE  WE  LIVE 

Everyone  should  know  about  the  country  in  which  he 
lives.  The  more  we  know  about  our  country  the  more  we 
appreciate  living  in  it  and  the  more  we  can  help  our  fellow 
countrymen.  We  should  also  know  about  the  other  countries 
in  the  world.  Every  country  has  its  own  peculiar  cus- 
toms and  conditions  of  life,  and  we  can  better  understand 
how  other  people  live  if  we  know  something  about  the 
country  in  which  they  live. 

Our  country  is  called  The  United  States  of  America 
because  it  is  composed  of  a number  of  individual  states. 
These  states  have  their  own  governments,  but  they  are  all 
under  what  we  call  our  national  government.  The  United 
States  is  located  in  the  central  portion  of  the  North  Ameri- 
can continent.  It  is  in  the  temperate  zone,  and  extends 
from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  the  east  to  the  Pacific  Ocean 
on  the  west.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  nations  in  the  world, 
and  is  well  located  for  the  advancement  and  civilization  of 
its  people.  On  the  north  of  the  United  States  is  the 
Dominion  of  Canada,  one  of  the  colonies  of  the  British 
Empire.  On  the  south  is  the  Republic  of  Mexico.  The 
United  States  extends  from  about  the  twenty-fifth  parallel 


12 


Our  Country 


of  latitude  to  the  forty-ninth.  This  range  of  territory,  north 
and  south,  gives  to  our  country  a great  variety  of  climate. 


Before  the  white  man  came  to  North  America,  the  coun- 
try was  inhabited  by  many  tribes  of  Indians.  On  the  12th 
of  October,  1492,  Columbus  landed  on  one  of  the  small 
islands  southeast  of  what  is  now  the  state  of  Florida. 
Because  he  thought  he  had  reached  the  coast  of  India,  he 


Where  We  Live 


13 


called  the  native  people  he  found  there  Indians,  and  they 
have  been  known  by  that  name  ever  since.  Columbus  did 
not  reach  the  mainland  of  North  America,  but  later  ex- 
plorers from  France,  Spain  and  England  came  into  what  is 
now  the  United  States.  When  these  adventurous  sailors 
went  back  to  Europe,  they  told  the  people  at  home  about 
the  wonderfully  rich  land  that  they  had  discovered,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  many  of  the  nations  made  settlements 
on  our  coasts.  The  first  colonies  were  established  along  the 
Atlantic  seacoast,  but  as  these  colonies  grew  in  size  the  peo- 
ple gradually  spread  to  the  west  until  every  portion  of  the 
United  States  was  settled. 

Two  large  mountain  ranges  stretch  across  our  coun- 
try. On  the  east  are  the  Appalachian  Mountains  and  on 
the  west  are  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Between  these  two 
mountain  systems  is  an  enormous  valley  drained  by  the 
Mississippi  River  and  its  tributaries.  East  of  the  Appa- 
lachian Mountains  is  a slope  called  the  Atlantic  Slope.  To 
the  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  system  is  another  slope 
called  the  Pacific  Slope.  These  five  sections  of  our  country 
are  known  as  its  five  great  physiographic  divisions. 

The  Atlantic  Coastal  Plain  is  one  of  the  subdivisions 
of  the  Atlantic  Slope  and  extends  from  New  York  south 
to  Florida.  The  coastal  plain  is  generally  low  and  level  and 
very  marshy  at  the  ocean’s  shore.  Running  parallel  with 
this  plain  and  east  of  the  Appalachian  system  is  a narrow 
•itory  known  as  the  Piedmont  Plateau.  This 


14 


Our  Country 


Piedmont  region  consists  of  low  rolling  hills  that  have  been 
carved  out  of  the  old  plateau  by  the  rains  and  rivers.  Where 
the  Piedmont  section  meets  the  Coastal  Plain  is  the  Fall 
Line.  This  line  gets  its  name  from  the  waterfalls  in  the 
rivers  where  they  leave  the  higher  Piedmont  section  and 
enter  the  lower  coastal  plain. 

The  Appalachian  Highlands  extend  from  the  northern 
part  of  Maine  in  a southwesterly  direction  to  the  northern 
parts  of  Georgia  and  Alabama.  There  are  several  ranges 
of  mountains  in  this  system,  some  of  them  extending  in 
parallel  lines.  In  the  northern  part  of  the  system  the 
mountains  are  more  irregular  in  their  direction.  In  the  New 
England  States  they  stretch  in  a north  and  south  direction. 
Between  the  ranges  are  many  beautiful  valleys  that  are 
rich  and  fertile.  Upon  the  western  slope  of  the  highlands 
is  a plateau  known  as  the  Alleghany  Plateau.  From  this 
plateau  the  land  slopes  gradually  to  the  west  until  it 
reaches  the  Mississippi  River.  West  of  this  river  the  land 
gradually  rises  until  it  reaches  the  foothills  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  This  great  valley  extends  from  the  border  of 
Canada  on  the  north  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  on  the  south  and 
is  one  of  the  most  productive  areas  to  be  found  anywhere 
in  the  world. 

Thousands  of  years  ago  the  northern  section  of  this 
valley  was  covered  by  a great  ice  sheet  that  pushed  down 
from  the  north  and  stretched  over  all  the  land  as  far  south 
as  the  Missouri  and  Ohio  rivers.  This  ice  sheet  ground 


Where  We  Live 


15 


up  the  rocks,  pulverized  the  soil,  and  changed  the  courses 
of  many  of  our  northern  rivers.  After  the  ice  sheet  had 
melted,  the  soil  was  left  in  fine  condition  for  the  growing 
of  crops.  Wheat  is  the  grain  that  is  specially  adapted 
to  this  area.  South  of  this  region  extend  large  tree- 
less plains  called  prairies.  Most  of  the  soil  in  this  sec- 
tion of  the  valley  is  known  as  drift  soil.  Drift  soils  are 
formed  by  wind  blowing  the  dirt  from  place  to  place.  Corn 
is  the  principal  food  crop  of  the  prairie  plains.  South  of 
these  plains  is  a section  that  has  been  built  up  by  rivers 
washing  down  the  soils  from  the  north.  These  soils  have 
been  deposited  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley  and  are  known  as  alluvial  tsoils.  It  is  in  the  alluvial 
soil  section  that  so  much  cotton  is  raised.  In  the  extreme 
south,  along  the  borders  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  are  plains 
built  up  by  the  ocean  and  by  the  rivers.  Some  of  these 
plains  are  still  under  water.  They  are  known  as  the  tide- 
water plains.  Rice  is  the  principal  crop  found  in  this 
region. 

The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands  consist  of  a series  of 
mountain  ranges  and  high  plateaus.  The  Rocky  Mountains 
proper  extend  along  the  eastern  border  of  these  highlands 
and  comprise  several  detached  chains  of  mountains  that 
contain  the  highest  peaks  to  be  found  in  our  country.  They 
are  very  rugged  in  structure.  West  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains is  a series  of  plateaus.  The  most  famous  of  these 
are  the  Colorado  plateau  in  the  south  and  the  Columbia 


16 


Our  Country 


plateau  in  the  north.  Between  these  two  plateaus  is  a sec- 
tion called  the  Great  Basin.  This  great  basin  covers  the 
whole  of  the  state  of  Nevada,  about  half  of  Utah  and  a 
part  of  Oregon.  West  of  the  plateaus  and  basin  are  the 
Sierra  Nevada  and  Cascade  mountains.  These  two  moun- 
tain ranges  form  the  western  boundary  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain Highlands. 

West  of  these  great  highlands  are  situated  two  valleys. 
The  northern  one  extends  across  the  states  of  Washing- 
ton and  Oregon.  The  other  is  located  in  the  state  of 
California.  To  the  west  of  these  valleys  are  several  moun- 
tain ranges  known  as  the  Coast  Range.  Along  the  Pacific 
coast  is  a narrow  coastal  plain. 

Upon  the  northern  border,  between  our  country  and 
Canada,  are  five  lakes,  known  as  the  Great  Lakes.  These 
lakes  vary  in  size  and  depth,  and,  being  connected,  all  drain 
into  the  Atlantic  Ocean  through  the  St.  Lawrence  River. 
Only  one  of  these,  Lake  Michigan,  is  wholly  within  our 
country.  Lake  Superior,  Lake  Huron,  Lake  Erie  and  Lake 
Ontario  are  owned  by  both  Canada  and  the  United  States. 
These  bodies  of  water  form  important  commercial  routes 
for  many  of  the  products  of  the  Middle  West  that  are 
shipped  to  the  East.  Around  the  western  end  of  Lake 
Superior  are  important  copper  and  iron  ores.  The  timber 
about  this  lake  is  also  very  valuable.  These  products  are 
shipped  in  vessels  across  Lake  Superior,  through  a canal 
into  Lake  Huron  and  thence  by  rivers  into  Lake  Erie.  At 


Where  We  Live 


17 


Buffalo  the  cargoes  are  loaded  into  canal  boats  and  sent 
down  the  Erie  Canal  to  the  Hudson  River.  The  Erie  Canal 
extends  across  the  state  of  New  York  and  makes  an  im- 
portant waterway  to  the  cities  of  the  east  coast. 

All  the  rivers  along  the  Atlantic  coast  are  short  and 
swift.  Many  of  them  are  navigable  as  far  as  the  Fall  Line. 
These  rivers  are  important  for  the  water-power  they  fur- 
nish. On  the  banks  of  such  rivers  as  the  Merrimac,  Dela- 
ware, Susquehanna,  Potomac,  Savannah  and  Altamaha  are 
many  mills.  The  rivers  of  the  great  central  plain  are 
long  and  sluggish.  The  territory  that  they  drain  is  large, 
and  it  slopes  so  little  that  the  rivers  move  slowly.  All 
the  larger  rivers,  such  as  the  Mississippi,  Missouri  and 
Ohio,  are  navigable  for  hundreds  of  miles.  Large  boats 
can  pass  up  the  Mississippi  River  as  far  as  St.  Paul.  The 
Ohio  River  is  navigable  as  far  as  Pittsburg.  The  rivers 
on  the  western  coast  are  few  in  number  and  not  navigable 
for  any  great  distance.  They  rise  in  the  mountains  of 
the  highlands  and  flow  to  the  ocean  over  rapids  and  water- 
falls. The  Columbia  River  in  the  north  and  the  Colorado 
River  in  the  south  are  the  most  noted  of  these  rivers. 

When  the  first  settlements  were  made  along  our  east- 
ern shores,  the  colonists  did  not  realize  the  immense  wealth 
that  was  to  be  found  in  the  country.  Owing  to  differences 
in  climate  and  in  soil,  the  people  who  settled  in  the  North 
became  a manufacturing  people,  while  those  who  built 
their  homes  in  the  South  became  an  agricultural  people. 


18 


Our  Country 


The  broader  coastal  lands  of  the  South  offered  good  op- 
portunities for  the  cultivation  of  large  farms.  The  un- 
even lands  in  the  Northeast  were  not  suitable  for  large 
farms  but  were  adapted  for  raising  small  fruits  and  for 
grazing.  The  rivers  of  that  section,  on  the  other  hand, 
offered  excellent  manufacturing  power.  The  people  of  the 
South  began  to  raise  cotton,  as  this  crop  could  easily  be 
grown  in  the  climate  found  there.  The  people  of  the  North- 
east began  to  manufacture  into  cloth  the  cotton  raised  in 
the  South  and  these  two  forms  of  industry  developed  in 
these  two  sections  of  our  country. 

At  first,  the  Appalachian  Highlands  formed  a barrier 
to  western  migration.  It  was  some  time  before  the  col- 
onists on  the  coast  succeeded  in  finding  passes  through 
which  they  could  travel  to  the  West.  In  the  state  of  New 
York  the  Mohawk  Valley  was  the  greatest  of  these  natural 
passes,  but  that  valley  was  occupied  by  hostile  Indians  and 
the  white  man  was  unable  to  enter  it.  George  Washing- 
ton and  several  other  early  settlers  endeavored  to  cross 
the  mountains  through  some  gaps  in  Virginia.  The  French, 
who  had  settled  in  the  St.  Lawrence  region,  advanced 
southward  and  offered  resistance  to  this  westward  move- 
ment of  English  settlers.  During  the  French  and  Indian 
War  the  English  forced  the  French  from  the  Ohio  Valley 
and  took  possession  of  that  section.  The  movement  of  our 
people  toward  the  West  received  a great  impetus  from  the 
Louisiana  Purchase.  This  purchase  was  made  by  the  United 


Where  We  Live 


19 


States  from  France  and  included  most  of  the  territory  west 
of  the  Mississippi  River  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  With  the 
opening  of  these  western  lands  the  center  of  food  produc- 
tion shifted  westward  and  the  states  of  the  north-central 
part  of  our  country  became  the  leading  states  in  the  pro- 
duction of  wheat,  corn  and  oats. 

With  the  settlement  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands 
the  mining  industry  was  developed.  Gold,  silver  and  lead 
were  discovered  and  mining  cities  grew  up  rapidly.  Most 
of  our  precious  metals  come  from  this  section  of  our  coun- 
try, whereas  the  coal  we  burn  and  the  iron  we  use  come 
from  the  eastern  and  central  sections.  The  western  high- 
lands, besides  having  good  mining  industries,  have  become 
great  sheep-raising  areas.  The  climate  is  arid,  not  enough 
rain  falling  yearly  for  agricultural  purposes,  but  the  moun- 
tain slopes  have  excellent  grass  for  sheep  and  cattle  grazing. 

As  the  northeastern  section  of  our  country  was  settled, 
before  any  other  section,  it  early  became  the  center  of  cul- 
ture and  refinement.  In  most  of  the  large  cities  of  the 
East  fine  educational  institutions  have  flourished  for  years. 
Within  recent  times  the  state  colleges  of  the  West  have 
taken  a leading  rank.  Much  of  the  financial  wealth  of  our 
people  is  still  centered  about  the  city  of  New  York.  As 
the  country  was  settled  westward,  many  railroads  were 
constructed.  This  railroad  building  has  progressed  rapidly 
and  now  we  have  more  miles  of  track  in  our  country  than 
in  any  other  country  in  the  world.  Besides  the  railroads. 


20  Our  Country 

there  are  thousands  of  vessels  engaged  in  coastwise  trade 
between  the  large  seaports  of  the  Atlantic  and  the  Pacific 
coasts.  There  are  large  commercial  cities  scattered  all 
over  the  country  from  the  eastern  to  the  western  shores. 

The  United  States  is  composed  of  forty-eight  sovereign 
states.  Each  of  these  states  has  its  own  local  government, 
but  each  of  them  has  given  up  some  of  its  rights  to  the  cen- 
tral government  of  the  nation.  Each  state  has  its  own 
capital  city  where  its  lawmakers  meet  and  where  its  gov- 
ernor lives.  Each  state  also  sends  representatives  to  the 
national  government.  These  representatives  meet  in  the 
city  of  Washington,  which  is  the  capital  of  the  whole  United 
States.  Washington  is  located  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Potomac  River,  in  the  District  of  Columbia. 


HOW  OUR  COUNTRY  HAS  GROWN 

The  first  settlements  made  by  Europeans  in  this  country 
were  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  This  was  the  first  land  they 
reached  after  their  long  voyages  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 
and  they  built  their  small  towns  wherever  they  could  find 
convenient  places.  During  the  first  hundred  years  very 
little  extension  toward  the  west  was  made,  and  the  settlers 
were  so  busy  getting  their  livelihood  from  the  soil  that 
they  did  not  have  the  time  to  explore  the  interior  of  the 
country.  Then,  again,  the  Appalachian  Highlands  formed 
a barrier  to  westward  migration.  It  was  difficult  for  the 
settlers  to  cross  these  mountains,  as  there  were  so  few 
passes.  Those  who  were  hunters  and  trappers  penetrated 
the  mountain  wildernesses  to  get  the  skins  of  wild  animals, 
but  the  dangers  they  encountered  prevented  other  settlers 
from  making  any  effort  toward  moving  westward. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  in  our  country  was  made 
in  Florida  by  the  Spaniards.  In  1607  Jamestown  in  Vir- 
ginia was  founded  by  English  colonists.  The  people  who 
settled  at  Jamestown  were  known  as  Cavaliers.  The 
next  settlement  was  established  in  1620  at  Plymouth  in 
Massachusetts.  This  settlement  was  made  by  a body  of 
Pilgrims  who  had  left  England  in  search  of  a home  where 
they  could  conduct  their  religious  worship  in  the  manner 


22 


Our  Country 


they  believed  to  be  right.  Other  towns  were  built  along  the 
Atlantic  coast  and  the  strip  of  our  country  extending  from 
Maine  to  Georgia  was  gradually  settled  by  the  English 
and  the  Dutch  people. 

When  the  Europeans  began  to  realize  the  richness  of  the 
country  to  which  they  had  come,  they  wrote  home  glowing 
letters  that  brought  others  of  their  countrymen  to  our 
shores.  As  the  English  colonies  grew  larger  with  the  com- 
ing of  so  many  people,  they  received  grants  of  large  sec- 
tions of  land  from  the  King  of  England.  Each  of  these  colo- 
nies became  known  by  the  name  given  the  original  settle- 
ment. Thus  in  the  North  was  the  Massachusetts  Bay  colony, 
in  the  middle  part  was  the  colony  of  Pennsylvania  and  in  the 
South  was  the  colony  of  Georgia.  The  people  who  settled 
in  these  various  colonies  were  different  in  their  habits 
and  customs,  but  by  being  thrown  together  in  the  same 
distant  country  they  gradually  formed  a compact  union. 

All  of  the  colonies  were  established  upon  what  is  called 
the  Atlantic  Slope.  This  slope  consists  of  two  divisions, 
known  as  the  Piedmont  Plateau  and  the  Coastal  Plain. 
The  word  Piedmont  is  a French  word  that  means  foot- 
hills. In  Massachusetts  and  Maine  this  Piedmont  region 
reaches  to  the  ocean,  but  in  the  South  there  is  a broad 
coastal  plain  extending  from  the  Piedmont  to  the  sea. 
The  Piedmont  section  consists  of  low  rolling  hills  much  cut 
up  by  rivers.  The  soil  is  rich  and  fertile  in  the  valleys, 


How  Our  Country  Has  Grown 


23 


but  there  are  no  large  level  areas  suitable  for  extensive 
agricultural  pursuits.  Fruit  trees  and  vegetables  grow 
well,  but  the  food  crops  that  require  more  land  area  cannot 
be  so  profitably  cultivated. 

The  Atlantic  Coastal  Plain  spreads  from  the  state  of 
New  Jersey  southward.  This  plain  broadens  out  in  Vir- 
ginia and  farther  south  to  form  a very  important  agri- 
cultural section.  The  settlers  of  Jamestown  were  men 
who  were  accustomed  to  large  landed  estates  at  home,  and 
the  coastal  plain  about  their  city  offered  them  numerous 
advantages  for  the  cultivation  of  large  crops.  The  land  was 
level,  fertile  and  well-drained.  Large  rivers  flowed  through 
the  territory  and  offered  easy  means  of  communication. 
The  climate  was  delightful  and  well  adapted  for  growing 
some  of  the  staple  crops.  So  the  settlers  in  Virginia  owned 
large  plantations  on  which  they  raised  corn  and  tobacco. 
The  plantation  way  of  living  created  a land  aristocracy  and 
we  find  in  Virginia  today  many  examples  of  beautiful 
old  colonial  homes.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  farms 
were  large,  negro  labor  was  profitable  and  slaves  were 
used  to  cultivate  the  crops.  In  the  North  where  the  farms 
were  smaller,  slave  labor  was  unprofitable,  and  so  the 
northern  states  seldom  used  the  negro  as  a farm  servant. 

When  the  Pilgrims  landed  at  Plymouth  they  found  a bleak 
and  barren  coast.  The  winters  were  extremely  severe  and 
the  summers  short.  They  were  obliged  to  build  warmer 


24 


Our  Country 


houses  than  their  neighbors  in  the  South  and  to  live  in 
closer  communities  for  their  own  protection.  Numerous 
Indian  tribes,  living  throughout  the  country,  caused  the 
colonists  a great  deal  of  trouble.  Frequent  wars  occurred 
and  horrible  murders  were  committed.  It  soon  became 
necessary  to  drive  the  Indians  westward  if  the  white  men 
were  to  live  in  peace. 

As  the  country  grew  older  and  its  population  increased, 
many  of  the  settlers  turned  their  eyes  toward  the  West. 
Adventurous  discoverers  had  come  back  to  the  coast  towns 
with  stories  of  the  wonderful  land  to  be  found  west  of  the 
mountains.  Trappers  from  New  York  and  Pennsylvania 
had  penetrated  into  these  western  lands  and  brought  back 
tales  of  the  astonishing  fertility  of  the  Ohio  Valley.  A few 
of  the  hardier  settlers  pushed  their  way  westward  and 
cleared  small  farms  upon  the  western  slopes  of  the  Alle- 
ghany Mountains. 

There  was  one  good  passageway  made  by  nature  through 
the  mountains,  the  Mohawk  Valley,  in  the  state  of  New 
York.  The  Mohawk  is  the  most  important  valley  in  the 
world.  Nature  has  made  it  a great  natural  gateway  from 
the  wheat  fields  of  the  Middle  West  to  the  seaport  towns 
along  our  eastern  coast.  Not  until  the  southern  limit 
of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  is  reached,  do  we  find  any 
other  pass  to  be  compared  with  it.  The  colonists  of  New 
England  and  New  York  soon  realized  the  importance  of 


How  Our  Country  Has  Grown 


25 


this  great  gateway,  but  they  were  unable  to  use  it  because 
the  French  occupied  the  western  country. 

The  French  had  settled  in  Canada  along  the  St.  Law- 
rence River.  These  men  explored  the  territory  around 
the  Great  Lakes  and  built  important  trading  posts  in  what 
is  now  the  state  of  Ohio.  Although  the  French  and 
Indians  at  first  were  friends,  the  red  men  were  obliged  in 
the  end  to  yield  their  territory  to  the  superior  race.  They 
then  found  themselves  between  two  white  nations  and 
could  not  survive  under  such  conditions.  When  the  English 
overcame  the  French,  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  the 
valley  of  the  Mohawk  was  opened  to  western  migration. 

In  the  South  much  the  same  condition  prevailed.  A tribe 
of  Indians,  called  the  Cherokees,  held  the  land  to  the  west 
of  the  settlement  in  Georgia.  It  was  long  after  this  coun- 
try attained  its  independence  before  these  Indians  were 
removed  from  the  land  they  occupied. 

After  our  country  became  independent  of  Great  Britain, 
an  exodus  of  people  took  place  into  the  lands  between  the 
mountains  and  the  Mississippi  River.  All  the  territory 
south  of  the  Great  Lakes,  with  the  exception  of  a narrow 
strip  along  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  had  been  ceded  to  the 
United  States  by  Great  Britain.  The  new  lands  that  were 
now  opened  to  the  settlers  proved  to  be  very  rich  in  min- 
eral deposits  and  excellent  for  farming.  The  Ohio  River, 
with  its  many  branches,  and  the  rivers  running  toward  the 


26 


Our  Country 


south  and  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  offered  easy  means  of 
communication  with  the  seaport  towns.  Only  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  was  closed  to  our  commerce.  This  river 
and  most  of  the  territory  west  of  it  was  held  by  Spain. 
With  the  natural  increase  in  our  population,  and  the  rapid 
spread  of  our  people  westward,  it  was  soon  seen  that  the 
land  east  of  the  Mississippi  was  not  large  enough  for  our 
growth. 

Spain  had  ceded  all  her  rights  to  this  western  terri- 
tory to  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  Emperor  of  France,  and  it 
was  from  him  that  the  land  was  bought.  The  story  of  the 
purchase  of  this  area  is  one  of  much  interest.  Certain 
representatives  of  our  country  had  been  commissioned  by 
President  Jefferson  to  purchase  from  Napoleon  a few 
islands  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  River.  If  we  could 
secure  these  islands  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  would 
be  open  to  us..  When  the  representatives  approached  the 
French  Emperor  they  found  that  he  was  willing  to  sell 
not  only  these  islands  but  all  the  French  possessions  west 
of  the  Mississippi  River  for  the  sum  of  $15,000,000.  With- 
out waiting  to  consult  their  home  government,  the  repre- 
sentatives bought  the  land  and  then  notified  President 
Jefferson  of  what  they  had  done.  Jefferson  appreciated 
the  importance  of  these  possessions  and  through  his  in- 
fluence the  deal  was  closed.  In  this  way  we  acquired  an 
area  larger  than  that  already  occupied  by  our  people.  The 


How  Our  Country  Has  Grown 


27 


THE  LOUISIANA  PURCHASE 


Louisiana  Purchase  gave  us  complete  control  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  and  all  its  tributaries  and  brought  us  some 
of  the  most  important  lands  to  be  found  anywhere  in  our 
country. 

Through  the  energy  of  two  explorers,  Lewis  and  Clark, 
sent  out  by  our  government,  the  area  known  as  the  North- 
west Territory  was  explored  and  claimed  for  our  country. 
Lewis  and  Clark  went  up  the  Missouri  River  to  its  head- 
waters, crossed  the  high,  rough  mountain  ranges  found  in 
Montana  and  Idaho,  and  descended  the  Columbia  River  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  As  no  white  man  had  ever  been  in  this  region 
before,  they  claimed  the  country  by  right  of  exploration. 


28 


Our  Country 


This  new  territory  gave  us  an  almost  direct  boundary  line 
from  Lake  Superior  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  It  was  some 
time  before  this  line  was  finally  agreed  on  by  the  United 
States  and  Great  Britain,  but  it  became  fully  established  at 
last  and  is  now  well  marked. 

In  the  southwestern  part  of  what  is  now  the  United 
States  was  a strip  of  territory  that  was  not  included  in  the 
Louisiana  Purchase.  This  belonged  to  Mexico.  Owing  to 
certain  troubles,  the  people  of  a part  of  it  revolted  and  es- 
tablished an  independent  republic  known  as  the  Republic  of 
Texas.  After  some  years  of  unsettled  conditions,  this  little 
nation  applied  for  admittance  into  the  union  and  was  ac- 
cepted as  the  state  of  Texas.  Because  the  boundary  between 
Texas  and  Mexico  was  in  dispute,  the  United  States  entered 
into  a war  with  the  latter  country.  The  outcome  of  this  war 
was  the  establishment  of  the  Rio  Grande  as  the  southwest- 
ern border  of  the  United  States  and  the  ceding  to  us  by 
Mexico  of  a large  part  of  what  is  now  California,  Arizona 
and  New  Mexico. 

This  constituted,  with  a few  modifications,  what  is  now 
known  as  the  United  States.  Since  that  time  we  have  pur- 
chased Alaska  from  Russia.  This  territory  is  situated  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  North  America  and  lies  almost 
wholly  north  of  the  sixtieth  parallel  of  latitude.  Although 
it  is  far  north,  its  climate  is  not  very  severe,  this  being  due 
to  the  Japan  Current,  which  modifies  the  severity  of  its  win- 


How  Our  Country  Has.  Grown 


29 


ters.  Alaska’s  yield  of  minerals  and  fur-bearing  animals 
has  paid  us  many  times  over  what  it  originally  cost. 

Within  recent  years  our  country  has  acquired  several 
outlying  possessions.  These  consist  of  certain  islands  found 
in  the  Caribbean  Sea  and  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  We  call 
these  islands  our  Insular  Possessions.  They  consist  of 
Porto  Rico  in  the  Atlantic,  and  the  Philippine,  the  Hawaiian 
and  a few  smaller  islands  in  the  Pacific.  These  islands  do 
not  all  have  the  territorial  form  of  government,  for  some  of 
them  are  governed  by  representatives  sent  to  them  by  our 
President.  We  are  holding  certain  of  these  islands  in  trust 
for  the  native  people,  hoping  that  some  day  they  will  be- 
come educated  enough  to  govern  themselves. 

Thus  from  small  beginnings  on  a rock-bound  and 
uninviting  coast,  our  country  has  stretched  out  until  it  oc- 
cupies lands  from  the  frozen  north  to  the  tropical  south. 
From  a population  of  a few  hundred  we  have  grown 
to  over  one  hundred  million,  and  from  a nation  of  one 
race  we  have  developed  into  a nation  made  up  of  nearly 
every  race  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Year  by  year  thousands 
of  immigrants  come  to  our  shores  and  we  take  them  in  and 
make  American  citizens  of  them.  The  ideals  which 
prompted  the  early  settlers  to  establish  their  government 
and  social  relations  are  the  same  ideals  that  we  still  hold 
as  being  true  for  American  life.  Justice,  freedom  and 
safety  in  the  pursuit  of  personal  happiness,  have  been  the 


30 


Our  Country 


corner-stones  of  our  growth.  However  much  our  politics 
have  changed,  we  preserve  unimpaired  the  ideals  that  our 
ancestors  gave  us.  It  is  this  wonderful  vitality  of  our  ideals 
and  of  our  institutions  that  has  given  us  our  prominence 
among  the  leading  nations  of  today. 


THE  APPALACHIAN  HIGHLANDS 


The  Appalachian  Highlands  lie  along  the  eastern  bor- 
der of  our  country.  These  highlands  consist  of  several 
different  ranges  of  mountains  extending  from  the  New 
England  states  in  a southwest  direction  to  central  Ala- 
bama. In  the  North  they  consist  of  distinct  groups  of  moun- 
tains scattered  in  a north  and  south  direction.  South  of 
these  groups  the  system  extends  southwestward  in  a series 
of  parallel  ranges.  The  Hudson  River  in  New  York  divides 
the  northeast  group  from  the  parallel  ranges  of  the 
South. 

One  of  these  groups  of  mountains  in  the  northern  part 
of  New  York  is  called  the  Adirondacks.  The  Adiron- 
dacks  are  noted  for  their  beautiful  scenery  and  for 
the  hunting  facilities  they  afford.  Many  wealthy  New 
Yorkers  have  summer  homes  on  the  sides  of  these  moun- 
tains. Stretching  across  the  western  part  of  the  state  of 
Vermont,  from  north  to  south,  are  the  Green  Mountains. 
The  name,  Green  Mountains,  was  given  them  on  account 
of  the  thick,  green  forests  that  cover  their  slopes.  In  Massa- 
chusetts they  are  known  as  the  Hoosac  Mountains  and  the 
Berkshire  Hills.  In  northern  New  Hampshire  the  White 
Mountains  form  a part  of  this  system.  These  are  the  high- 
est mountains  in  the  Appalachian  system  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a few  peaks  found  in  the  South.  In  the  White 


32 


Our  Country 


VIEW  IN  APPALACHIAN  HIGHLANDS 
(Courtesy  N.  Y.  C.  R.  R.) 


Mountain  region  are  many  noted  summer  resorts.  One  of 
the  ranges  in  this  group  is  known  as  the  Presidential 
Range.  The  highest  peak  is  called  Mount  Washington,  and 
some  of  the  others  are  named  Jefferson,  Madison  and 
Monroe. 

In  the  state  of  Maine  the  mountains  consist  of  indi- 
vidual peaks.  The  most  prominent  of  these  is  Katahdin. 
Near  Mount  Katahdin  is  the  beautiful  Moose  Head  Lake. 
There  are  many  camps  in  the  Maine  mountains  that  are 
used  by  hunting  and  fishing  parties.  A great  deal  of  wild 
game  still  abounds  in  these  forests.  Much  of  this  section 
is  densely  covered  with  hardwood  and  soft  pine  trees. 


The  Appalachian  Highlands 


33 


The  main  part  of  the  Appalachian  system  lies  south- 
west of  the  Hudson  River.  The  highlands  begin  with 
the  Catskill  Mountains  in  the  southeastern  part  of  New 
York  and  stretch  south  westward  into  Alabama.  The 
Blue  Ridge  Mountains  is  a very  old  mountain  chain  form- 
ing the  eastern  boundary  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands. 
Its  sky-line  has  been  well  rounded  by  rains  and  rivers. 
Thousands  of  years  ago  its  mountain  peaks  were  much 
rougher  and  higher  than  they  are  today,  but  the  erosion  of 
many  centuries  has  worn  the  sides  and  tops  almost  smooth. 
Today  these  tops  are  covered  with  a heavy  growth  of  pine 
and  hardwood  trees.  Farther  south,  in  North  Carolina, 
there  is  much  irregularity  in  the  sky-line. 

The  widest  division  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  is 
not  a chain  of  mountains,  but  a broad  valley,  ribbed 
with  low  mountain  chains.  This  is  known  as  the  Great 
Valley.  It  does  not  present  the  features  that  we  generally 
associate  with  valleys.  On  the  east  are  the  high  Blue  Ridge 
Mountains  and  on  the  west  is  the  Alleghany  Plateau.  Be- 
tween these  two  boundaries  lies  a series  of  broken  parallel 
ridges  that  divide  the  main  valley  into  many  smaller  valleys. 
These  ridges  cause  us  to  lose  sight  of  the  great  valley  itself. 
The  present  valley  is  formed  as  if  the  surface  of  the  large 
valley  had  been  wrinkled  into  new  hills  and  ridges.  Two 
parts  of  this  valley,  the  Shenandoah  and  Tennessee  valleys, 
are  noted  in  the  history  of  our  country.  The  smaller 
ridges  in  the  main  valley  take  the  same  general  direction  as 


34 


Our  Country 


the  entire  system ; that  is,  they  stretch  from  the  northeast 
to  the  southwest. 

The  streams  in  this  area  generally  flow  between  the 
ridges,  but  they  frequently  turn  and  cut  their  way  across 
them,  making  important  water-gaps.  The  rocks  of  which 
these  ridges  are  made  differ  greatly  from  those  found  in 
other  sections  of  the  highlands.  Granite  predominates  in 
the  hills,  while  in  the  valleys  there  is  much  limestone  and 
shale.  The  presence  of  the  latter  rock  made  it  easy  for  the 
rivers  to  carve  out  their  beds. 

The  western  section  of  this  highland  is  known  as  the 
-Plateau  Region.  It  stretches  along  the  western  side  from 
the  Catskill  in  the  north  to  Alabama  in  the  south.  This 
plateau  along  its  eastern  extent  presents  a very  broken 
surface,  and  is  frequently  called  the  Alleghany  Mountains. 
They,  however,  are  not  real  mountains,  but  are  parts  of  the 
plateau  that  have  been  cut  into  irregular  peaks  by  erosion. 
The  action  of  streams  has  cut  up  this  section* of  the  plateau 
so  that  it  looks  very  much  like  mountains.  Lookout  Moun- 
tain in  Tennessee  is  a part  of  this  plateau  that  has  been  cut 
off  by  rivers.  The  only  prominent  pass  in  this  plateau  is  the 
Cumberland  Gap.  This  gap  is  in  southwestern  Virginia  and 
affords  a direct  passageway  into  Tennessee  and  Kentucky. 

Some  of  the  river  systems  show  very  strange  forma- 
tions. The  Susquehanna  River  in  Pennsylvania  is,  per- 
haps, the  most  important  and  largest  waterway  crossing 


The  Appalachian  Highlands 


35 


the  highlands.  This  river,  together  with  the  Delaware 
and  a few  smaller  rivers,  rises  upon  the  western  slope  of 
the  highlands  and  crosses  the  mountain  ranges  through  a 
series  of  important  water-gaps.  To  the  south,  the  Kan- 
awha drains  the  highlands  in  the  opposite  direction.  This 
river  rises  in  and  drains  part  of  the  eastern  slope,  passing 
across  the  ranges  to  the  west.  The  Tennessee  River  also 
rises  in  the  east,  runs  south  and  then  turns  west  through 
a gap  in  the  plateau.  The  general  trend  of  the  northern 
rivers  is  from  west  to  east,  while  that  of  the  southern  rivers 
is  from  east  to  west. 

The  climate  of  this  mountain  area  varies  greatly.  Ex- 
tending many  degrees  north  and  south,  it  experiences  the 
cold  winters  of  Maine  and  the  mild  winters  of  Georgia.  In 
the  North  the  mountain  tops  are  frequently  covered  with 
snow,  although  the  snow  does  not  stay  on  them  very  long. 
Because  of  their  altitude  all  the  mountains  offer  a cooler 
climate  than  is  to  be  found  in  the  lowlands  at  their  base. 
The  Appalachian  Highlands  are  not  an  important  factor  in 
climate  of  the  eastern  part  of  our  country  because  they  are 
not  high  enough  to  intercept  many  of  the  winds.  The  east 
and  west  sides  of  the  mountains  have  about  the  same  cli- 
matic conditions,  although  the  east  side  is  a trifle  milder 
and  more  humid.  This  is  due  to  the  nearness  of  the  At- 
lantic Ocean  and  to  the  local  winds  that  blow  from  that 
body  of  water.  The  prevailing  wind  that  reaches  the 
western  sides  of  the  mountains  is  generally  a dry  wind.  It 


36 


\l  ; \ A U I ' 

; Our  Country 

has  passed  the  plains  of  our  country  and  lost  its  moisture 
before  it  has  reached  the  mountain  sides.  One  of  the  winds 
that  passes  across  the  Southern  States  and  touches  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  turns  to  the  north  and  deposits  much  moisture  on 
the  southeast  slopes  of  the  mountains  in  North  and  South 
Carolina.  This  section  receives  a greater  rainfall  than  any 
other  area  in  the  eastern  part  of  our  country. 

The  Appalachian  system  has  been  an  important  factor 
in  the  development  of  our  country.  For  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  it  formed  a barrier,  but  now  it  is  crossed  in  sev- 
eral places  by  railroads.  The  mountains  are  not  high,  but 
being  located  in  parallel  ranges,  covered  with  heavy  timber 
and  underbrush,  they  once  formed  a serious  obstacle  to 
westward  migration.  All  of  the  river  valleys  known  to  the 
early  settlers  extended  in  the  wrong  direction  for  easy  mi- 
gration toward  the  west.  If  the  valleys  had  extended  east- 
ward and  westward  it  would  not  have  been  difficult  to  pass 
the  mountains.  On  the  western  slopes  of  all  of  these  moun- 
tains there  once  lived  many  Indian  tribes  that  were  un- 
friendly to  the  English.  In  the  few  passes  which  were 
known,  such  as  the  Mohawk  Valley  and  the  gap  near  At- 
lanta, were  located  the  homes  of  hostile  Indian,  tribes.  For 
many  years  it  was  impossible  for  the  colonists  to  force  their 
way  through  these  openings. 

Although  the  mountains  retarded  westward  migration, 
they  were  of  advantage  to  the  colonists  in  causing  the  people 


MANGUM  TOWNSHIP  H.  S, 

The  Appalachian  HIphlaisjds  37 

to  become  more  compact  in  their. settlements.  iThe  narrow 
strip  of  land  between  the  mountains  and  the  ocean  became 
in  time  densely  populated  and  the  settlers  became  closely 
associated  in  their  habits  and  customs.  This  restriction  to 
a limited  territory  proved  to  be  of  great  advantage  in  the 
end,  because  it  made  our  people  a strong  nation  when  they 
finally  united. 

Three  good  routes  were  at  last  established  through  this 
mountain  system.  These  were  opened  for  travel  only  after 
many  battles  had  been  fought  and  much  blood  shed.  The 
colonists  suffered  much,  and  an  army  from  England,  the 
mother  country,  was  almost  annihilated  before  these  three 
passageways  were  finally  opened.  One  of  these  passes, 
known  as  the  Old  Braddock  Road,  is  the  trail  that  was  used 
by  Braddock’s  army  on  its  march  to  Ft.  Duquesne,  where 
Pittsburg  now  is.  Another  was  along  the  west  bank 
of  the  Susquehanna  River.  There  is  no  important  break 
in  the  mountains  south  of  Pennsylvania  until  the  Cumber- 
land Gap  is  reached.  Through  this  mountain  gap  the  Wil- 
derness Road  was  built  and  over  it  immigrants  immedi- 
ately flocked  into  the  rich  lands  of  the  Ohio  Valley. 

When  the  settlers  first  crossed  the  mountains  they  had 
no  idea  of  the  natural  riches  to  be  found  in  them.  Their 
eyes  were  turned  toward  the  fertile  plains  of  the  West  and 
they  had  neither  the  time  nor  the  inclination  to  seek  wealth 
in  the  rugged  hills.  It  was  many  years  after  the  Middle 
West  was  settled  before  the  wealth  of  the  forests  and  mines 


38 


Our  Country 


of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  was  at  the  disposal  of  our 
people. 

One  of  the  chief  sources  of  revenue  derived  from  these 
mountains  has  been  the  forests.  Everywhere  the  mountain 
tops  and  sides  were  covered  with  the  finest  timber.  Pine, 
spruce,  hemlock,  chestnut  and  oak  were  cut  from  the  slopes 
and  the  lumber  industry  soon  became  very  important.  Be- 
sides the  use  of  the  trees  for  lumber,  the  bark  of  the  hem- 
lock was  used  for  tanning  leather.  At  first  much  of  the 
timber  was  sent  to  the  seaports  of  Maine  and  Massachusetts 
to  be  built  into  vessels.  At  one  time  the  commerce  of  the 
United  States  was  carried  on  almost  entirely  in  American 
built  ships.  Today  our  ships  are  few  in  number  and  most 
of  our  commerce  is  carried  on  in  foreign  built  vessels. 

Besides  the  forests,  large  and  valuable  coal  fields  were 
discovered.  These  are  of  immense  importance  to  us.  Both 
the  soft  and  the  hard  coal  are  found  in  abundance.  The 
hard  coal  comes  from  northeastern  Pennsylvania  and  the 
soft  coal  is  found  in  the  plateau  region,  principally  in 
western  Pennsylvania,  West  Virginia  and  Alabama.  South 
of  the  city  of  Pittsburg  there  are  large  deposits  of  coke- 
coal.  Oil  deposits  have  also  been  discovered  in  the  coal 
areas  that  furnish  an  illuminating  oil  called  petroleum, 
from  which  coal  oil,  gasoline  and  many  other  products  are 
derived. 

Beds  of  clay  and  sand  which  are  valuable  for  the  manu- 
facture of  brick  and  glass  are  found  in  the  valleys  and 


The  Appalachian  Highlands 


39 


along  the  plateau  section.  Certain  deposits  of  sand  found 
near  Pittsburg  are  used  in  the  making  of  a fine  quality 
of  glass.  This  city  has  become  our  largest  glass-making 
center. 

Granite  and  marble  are  quarried  throughout  this  region. 
These  stones  are  much  used  for  building  purposes.  The 
granites  and  marbles  of  Vermont,  Tennessee  and  Georgia 
are  used  in  some  of  our  most  beautiful  homes  and 
office  buildings.  The  granite  which  comes  from  the  New 
England  states  is  the  most  noted  in  our  country.  These 
states  furnish  more  than  half  of  all  the  granite  used 
for  building  purposes.  New  Hampshire  is  sometimes  called 
the  Granite  State  because  of  the  large  deposits  of  this  rock 
which  are  found  there. 

Another  important  mineral  found  in  the  southern  part 
of  these  highlands  is  iron.  Iron  is  not  mined  in  the  Ap- 
palachians in  as  great  quantities  as  about  Lake  Superior, 
but  it  is  important  enough  to  be  used  for  many  manufactur- 
ing purposes.  Alabama,  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  are 
the  leading  iron  producing  states.  Because  of  the  presence 
of  so  much  coal,  the  iron  ore  from  other  areas  is  brought 
to  these  states  to  be  manufactured.  Both  Alabama  and 
Pennsylvania  have  important  iron  mills. 

These  highlands  offer  good  agricultural  opportunities. 
The  valleys  are  especially  fertile  and  the  climate  is  suitable 
for  the  cultivation  of  most  crops..  Corn  and  tobacco  are 


40 


Our  Country 


grown  throughout  the  region  and  most  of  the  fruits  are 
raised.  Many  valuable  market  gardens  are  cultivated.  The 
sides  of  the  mountains  form  excellent  orchard  lands  for 
apples  and  peaches.  Good  pasture  lands  also  abound,  and 
horses,  sheep  and  cattle  are  raised  to  advantage. 

There  are  many  important  cities  located  in  these  high- 
lands. Most  of  these  cities  are  large  manufacturing  cen- 
ters, such  as  Pittsburg,  Wheeling,  Atlanta  and  Birming- 
ham. This  section  also  offers  excellent  sites  for  summer 
resorts.  The  White,  Adirondack  and  Catskill  mountains  in 
the  North  have  many  large  and  fine  hotels  to  accommodate 
their  summer  visitors.  The  water-gaps  of  the  Delaware, 
the  natural  springs  of  Virginia  and  some  of  the  highlands 
of  West  Virginia  are  well  patronized.  Asheville  in  North 
Carolina  and  Lookout  Mountain  in  Tennessee  are  two  noted 
resorts  in  the  South. 


THE  GREAT  MISSISSIPPI  VALLEY 

The  Mississippi  Valley  occupies  the  larger  part  of  our 
country.  It  includes  all  the  land  drained  by  the  Missis- 
sippi River  and  its  tributaries.  This  area  is  bounded  on 
the  east  by  the  Appalachian  Highlands  and  on  the  west 
by  the  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands.  It  extends  northward 
almost  to  the  Great  Lakes  and  its  southern  boundary  is 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Although  this  section  is  cut  off  from 
the  westerly  winds  that  bring  rain  from  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
it  has  a great  rainfall.  It  is  open  at  its  southern  or  Gulf 
end  to  the  cyclonic  winds  that  originate  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  our  country  and  turn  to  the  north,  bringing  rain  to 
the  valley  from  the  waters  of  the  Gulf.  The  climate  is 
more  changeable  than  it  would  be  if  westerly  winds  pre- 
vailed, because  the  Mississippi  Valley  lies  within  the  great 
medial  plains  extending  southward  from  the  Arctic  Ocean, 
across  which  sometimes  sweep  northern  winds. 

The  Mississippi  River  proper  rises  in  northern  Minne- 
sota in  Lake  Itasca  and  flows  in  a southerly  direction,  about 
two  thousand  miles,  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  headwa- 
ters of  this  river  start  on  a small  ridge  which  divides  the 
drainage  systems  of  the  south  from  those  which  flow  into 
the  Great  Lakes  and  north  into  Hudson  Bay.  The  source  of 
the  Mississippi  has  an  altitude  of  about  1,500  feet,  which 


42 


Our  Country 


MISSISSIPPI  RIVER 
(Courtesy  Mississippi  River  Commission) 


gives  an  average  fall  to  the  river  of  only  nine  inches  to  the 
mile.  More  than  half  of  this  fall  takes  place  between  the 
source  and  the  city  of  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  From  that  city 
south  the  fall  is  very  slight  and  the  river  flows  between  low 
bluffs  until  it  reaches  the  plains  of  the  Gulf. 

The  region  in  which  Lake  Itasca  is  found  contains 
many  small  lakes.  It  has  no  good  drainage  system,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  much  of  the 
land  is  still  marshy.  The  numerous  lakes  have  been  modi- 
fied in  shape  by  the  ice  sheets  that  once  covered  the  country 
and  the  slope  of  the  land  is  so  slight  that  tributary  rivers 


The-  Great  Mississippi  Valley 


43 


have  not  been  formed.  At  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  are 
located  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  that  are  important  for 
the  water  power  they  furnish.  From  these  cities,  to  the 
Gulf  the  navigation  of  the  river  is  open.  South  of  St.  Paul 
the  banks  of  the  river  were  once  covered  with  hardwood 
trees. 

The  upper  part  of  the  Mississippi  flows  through  a valley 
that  is  from  three  to  seven  miles  wide.  In  order  to  reach 
the  cities  along  the  banks,  the  railroads  must  climb  to  the 
high  bluffs.  Communication  between  the  North  and  South 
by  railroad  is  generally  obtained  along  the  river.  Below 
the  city  of  St.  Louis,  the  river  flows  in  a broader  valley,  and 
when  the  states  of  Louisiana  and  Mississippi  are  reached, 
it  is  confined  to  its  bed  by  levees  or  banks  to  prevent  the 
overflow  of  the  surrounding  country.  In  some  parts  of  the 
state  of  Louisiana  the  surface  of  the  river  is  several  feet 
higher  than  the  surrounding  land. 

The  northern  course  of  the  Mississippi  flows  through 
what  is  known  as  the  Lake  Plains.  The  soil  of  these  plains 
has  been  modified  by  the  action  of  the  ice  sheet  that  once 
covered  them  and  is  well  adapted  to  the  growing  of  the 
hardier  grains.  Wheat  is  the  most  important  crop  of  this 
area,  and  the  cities  of  Minneapolis  and  St.  Paul  are  noted 
wheat  centers.  The  central  course  of  the  Mississippi  flows 
through  prairies.  This  section,  made  up  of  wind-driven 
soils,  is  practically  free  from  forests  and  is  well  adapted  to 


44 


Our  Country 


the  growing  of  corn.  From  the  city  of  Memphis,  Tennessee, 
the  river  flows  south  through  the  Gulf  Plains.  These  plains 
contain  what  is  known  as  alluvial  soils.  An  alluvial  soil  is 
one  which  has  been  made  by  river  deposits  and  is  generally 
very  fertile.  The  Gulf  Plains,  on  account  of  their  climate 
and  the  richness  of  their  soils,  produce  large  cotton  crops. 
Near  its  mouth  the  Mississippi  passes  through  the  Tide- 
water Plains  of  the  Gulf.  These  are  low  and  wet,  and  well 
adapted  to  the  growing  of  rice.  Thus  the  Mississippi  River 
passes  through  four  agricultural  areas  of  our  country,  each 
area  producing  either  an  important  food  or  fiber  crop. 

All  of  the  southern  section  of  the  state  of  Louisiana  is 
delta  formation.  The  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries  have 
brought  down  from  the  northern  lands  quantities  of  soil 
that  have  been  deposited  and  built  into  a great  peninsula 
stretching  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  immediate  mouth 
of  the  river  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  delta  formation 
to  be  found  in  the  world. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  plains  in  Louisiana  are  so 
low,  it  is  necessary  to  confine  the  waters  of  the  river  be- 
tween high  banks  called  levees.  From  the  city  of  Vicks- 
burg south  there  are  many  miles  of  these  levees.  During 
the  spring  they  must  be  watched  carefully  so  that  the  river 
will  not  break  through  them.  Whenever  the  Mississippi 
River  breaks  through  one  of  these  levees,  the  surrounding 
country  is  flooded  with  water  and  much  damage  is  done  to 


The  Great  Mississippi  Valley 


45 


the  crops  of  that  section.  Entering  the  lower  Mississippi 
River  from  the  east  is  a small  river  called  the  Yazoo.  This 
river  flows  through  fertile  plains  that  are  noted  for  the  fine 
crops  they  produce. 

The  Mississippi  River  has  many  large  tributaries.  The 
four  largest  ones  are  the  Missouri,  the  Ohio,  the  Arkansas 
and  the  Red.  All  of  these  except  the  Ohio  enter  the  Mis- 
sissippi from  the  west.  The  Ohio  enters  from  the  east. 
The  Missouri  rises  in  the  highlands  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
in  the  state  of  Montana,  flows  easterly  into  North  Dakota 
and  then  turns  south,  entering  the  Mississippi  River  about 
the  middle  of  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  state  of  Missouri. 
This  river  is  really  a part  of  the  main  stream,  but  is  men- 
tioned in  most  of  our  geographies  as  a tributary  stream. 
The  Missouri  River  is  exceedingly  muddy  because  it  flows 
through  lands  having  soils  that  are  easily  washed.  It  is 
often  called  The  River  of  Muddy  Waters.  On  the  upper 
parts  of  the  river  there  are  dense  forests  that  contain  much 
valuable  timber.  The  lower  half  of  the  river  flows  through 
the  fertile  plains  of  the  prairie  section. 

South  of  the  Missouri  and  almost  parallel  with  it,  flows 
the  Arkansas.  The  source  of  this  river  is  in  the  central 
part  of  the  state  of  Colorado.  It  rises  in  the  midst  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  flows  eastward  into  Kansas,  turns  south 
across  the  state  of  Oklahoma  and  empties  into  the  Missis- 
sippi River  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  state  of  Arkan- 


Our  Country 


. A 


46 

sas.  By  far  the  larger  part  of  this  stream  passes  through 
the  Great  Plains  and  Prairies  of  our  country.  South  of  the 
Arkansas  River  is  the  Red  River.  This  river  rises  in 
northern  Texas,  flows  eastward  and  enters  the  Mississippi 
River  north  of  the  city  of  New  Orleans. 

On  the  east  is  the  Ohio  River,  which  is  the  largest 
tributary  of  the  Mississippi  entering  from  that  direction. 
The  Ohio  is  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Alleghany  and 
Monongahela  rivers  in  the  western  part  of  Pennsylvania. 
These  two  small  rivers  rise  in  the  northern  Appalachians 
and  flow  together  to  make  the  larger  Ohio.  The  city  of 
Pittsburg  is  situated  at  the  junction  of  these  two  rivers. 
The  Ohio  flows  in  a southwesterly  direction  and  enters  the 
Mississippi  at  the  southern  limit  of  the  state  of  Illinois. 
There  are  several  important  tributaries  of  the  Ohio  River. 
Two  of  these,  the  Cumberland  and  the  Tennessee,  are  noted 
in  the  history  of  the  South.  These  rivers  rise  in  the  south- 
ern Appalachians,  flow  southwest,  then  turn  directly  north, 
and  enter  the  Ohio  River  in  the  western  part  of  Kentucky. 

The  Mississippi  Valley  extends  from  the  subtropical 
regions  of  the  Gulf  to  the  colder  regions  of  the  North.  Its 
fertile  soils  produce  many  kinds  of  agricultural  products  on 
account  of  differences  in  its  climate.  In  order  that,  crops 
may  grow  successfully  there  must  be  at  least  twenty  inches 
of  rainfall  every  year.  The  high  Rocky  Mountains  cut  off 
most  of  the  westerly  rain-bearing  winds  from  this  area 


The  Great  Mississippi  Valley 


47 


-but  the  warm  winds  from  the  Gulf  can  pass  unobstructed 
over  this  part  of  our  country.  The  colder  north  winds 
also  sweep  down  over  the  area  and  temper  the  northern 
summers.  In  the  northern  part,  the  winters  are  frequently 
severe.  During  the  winter  months  the  temperature  is  often 
twenty  degrees  below  zero  and  the  snowfall  heavy.  In  the 
southern  part  there  are  not  such  extremes  of  temperature 
and  the  growing  season  for  crops  is  much  longer. 

The  northern  part  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  has  few 
trees.  The  largest  forest  regions  are  located  near  the  Ohio 
River  and  along  the  banks  of  the  lower  Mississippi.  A small 
area  near  the  Missouri  River  in  the  state  of  Missouri  is 
also  covered  with  trees.  The  black  soil  of  the  prairies 
does  not  permit  of  rapid  tree  growth.  Wherever  forests 
abound,  lumber  industries  have  been  established. 

There  are  large  deposits  of  coal  found  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley.  The  largest  of  these  deposits  extends  along  the 
western  side  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  from  New  York 
to  Alabama.  This  section  produces  the  greater  part  of  the 
coal  used  in  commerce.  In  the  states  of  Indiana  and  Illinois 
is  a large  field  known  as  the  Illinois  Coal  Area.  This  area 
embraces  about  sixty  thousand  square  miles.  Directly 
across  the  Mississippi  in  the  states  of  Iowa  and  Missouri 
is  another  field  of  about  the  same  size  known  as  the  Mis- 
souri Coal  Field.  These  two  areas  produce  a bituminous 
coal  that  is  used  for  manufacturing  purposes.  Aside  from 


48 


Our  Country 


these  areas,  smaller  coal  deposits  are  found  in  the  states 
of  Arkansas,  Texas,  Oklahoma,  Colorado  and  the  Dakotas. 

South  of  the  city  of  Cairo,  Illinois,  the  Mississippi  Val- 
ley is  mostly  new  land,  that  is,  has  been  made  by  the 
river  deposits.  An  arm  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  once 
penetrated  the  central  part  of  our  country  as  far  north  as 
Cairo.  The  Mississippi  River  has  built  most  of  this  southern 
area  with  the  soil  it  has  brought  from  the  northern  sec- 
tions. Areas  built  up  by  river  deposits  are  called  flood 
plains,  and  this  southern  part  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  is 
the  most  important  flood  plain  in  the  world.  From  Cairo 
south,  the  Mississippi  River  makes  many  bends  and  turns, 
continually  cutting  its  banks  and  filling  up  its  bed.  Much 
of  the  land  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  southern  part 
of  the  river  is  swampy  and  covered  with  a dense  growth  of 
subtropical  vegetation. 

This  valley  is  the  principal  food  producing  section  of 
our  country.  The  wealth  of  its  crops  is  unrivalled  by  any 
like  area  in  the  world.  All  kinds  of  grasses  and  grains  are 
cultivated.  Cotton,  rice,  sugar  cane  and  vegetables  of  all 
kinds  are  profitably  grown.  Where  the  lands  were  too  wet, 
drainage  has  made  them  favorable  for  the  cultivation  of 
crops.  In  some  sections  along  the  Arkansas  River,  irriga- 
tion has  been  used  for  the  production  of  sugar  beets,  and 
within  recent  years  much  of  the  sugar  we  use  on  our  tables 
is  manufactured  from  these  beets.  Tobacco  is  grown  in 


The  Great  Mississippi  Valley 


49 


the  valley  of  the  Ohio  and  grapes  have  become  an  important 
crop  there. 

The  mining  industries  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  are 
second  in  importance  to  its  crops.  The  presence  of  coal  has 
developed  many  large  manufacturing  plants.  The  mills  in 
western  Pennsylvania  make  steel  from  the  iron  ore  that 
is  obtained  from  the  Lake  Superior  region,  and  the  mills 
in  Northern  Alabama  make  steel  from  iron  ore  found  in 
that  section.  The  lead  that  comes  from  Missouri  is  manu- 
factured into  articles  of  commerce.  Copper  from  Montana 
and  silver  from  Colorado  are  also  used  in  manufacturing. 
The  oil  wells  in  the  Ohio  Valley  and  in  Kansas,  Nebraska, 
Texas,  Oklahoma,  Louisiana  and  Kentucky  have  proven 
very  valuable  for  lighting  and  power  purposes. 

Throughout  the  corn  producing  areas  are  large  numbers 
of  hogs  and  the  production  of  pork  has  become  a staple 
industry.  Thousands  of  cattle  roam  over  the  plains  and 
are  killed  to  supply  us  with  meat.  In  some  areas  of  the 
northwest  there  are  large  sheep  ranches.  Wild  game 
abounds  in  the  wilderness  that  has  not  yet  been  cleared 
for  settlement. 

In  order  to  transport  the  products  of  this  valley,  numer- 
ous railroads  have  been  built,  crossing  it  in  all  directions. 
These  railroads  have  developed  to  so  great  an  extent  that 
inland  cities  are  no  longer  isolated.  Long  freight  trains 
pass  continually  across  the  valley  carrying  the  products  to 


50  Our  Country 

the  Atlantic  coast.  Much  of  the  commerce  of  this  section 
is  still  carried  on  by  means  of  the  rivers  and  lakes  which 
form  important  waterways.  Many  river  boats  pass  up  and 
down  the  Mississippi  and  carry  to  the  seaports  the  products 
of  the  interior. 


THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  HIGHLANDS 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands  extend  across  the  west- 
ern part  of  our  country  from  north  to  south.  These  high- 
lands occupy  about  one-third  of  the  land  area  of  the  United 
States  and  form  a section  of  the  great  mountain  system 
that  extends  from  Alaska  to  the  southernmost  point  of 
South  America.  The  entire  system  is  sometimes  called  the 
Cordilleras  and  the  Rocky  Mountain  section  in  our  country 
is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  the  Cordilleran  Highlands. 

Various  mountain  ranges  make  up  these  highlands  and 
the  names  given  to  these  ranges  are  mostly  of  Spanish 
origin.  In  South  America  there  is  a single  chain  of  moun- 
tains of  this  system  called  the  Andes.  In  Mexico  and  the 
Central  American  states,  there  are  many  detached  ranges 
with  various  names.  In  the  United  States  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains are  a series  of  broken  ranges  extending  along  the 
eastern  edge  of  the  Highlands.  The  Highlands  take  their 
name  from  these  mountains  because  they  are  the  highest 
ranges  to  be  found  in  the  West. 

The  widest  part  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands  is 
on  the  parallel  of  the  city  of  Denver.  The  region  is  about 
one  thousand  miles  wide  on  this  line.  The  highlands  in- 
cluded within  the  limits  of  our  country  are  about  twelve 
hundred  miles  long.  This  highland  area  consists  of  many 
mountain  ranges,  several  plateaus  and  a number  of  basins. 


A SCENE  IN  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS 
(Courtesy  Denver  & Rio  Grande  R.  R.) 

The  region  extends  from  the  middle  of  the  states  of 
Montana,  Wyoming,  Colorado  and  New  Mexico  west  to 
the  states  of  California,  Oregon  and  Washington.  The  west- 
ern part  includes  many  high  mountains  that  cut  off  the 
westerly  rain-bearing  winds  that  blow  from  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  The  rivers  in  these  highlands,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Columbia  and  Colorado,  are  small  and  drain  into  in- 
terior lakes.  Some  of  the  rivers  rise  on  the  mountain  sides 
and  flow  into  the  arid  valleys,  only  to  disappear  by  sinking 
into  the  ground.  All  the  lakes  are  salt  because  they  have 
no  outlets.  The  large  Columbia  River  in  the  north  cuts 
through  the  northern  plateau  and  empties  into  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  The  Colorado  River  in  the  south  rises  in  the  heights 


Our  Country 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands 


53 


of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  Colorado,  cuts  deep  gorges 
through  the  southern  plateau  and  empties  into  the  Gulf  of 
California. 

The  Rocky  Mountains  are  distinctly  different  from  those 
found  in  the  East.  These  western  mountains  are  very  high 
and  rugged.  Most  of  the  tops  are  rocky.  Snow  is  found 
on  many  of  the  peaks  all  the  year.  The  ranges  are 
very  irregular  and  do  not  show  the  same  formation  as 
that  of  the  more  eastern  mountains.  There  is  no 

uniformity  of  direction  as  was  noted  in  our  study  of  the 
Appalachians.  Most  of  the  mountains  have  been  made  by 
forces  pushing  the  land’s  surface  directly  upward  or  by 
the  building  action  of  volcanoes.  Some  ranges  found  in  the 
state  of  Oregon  have  been  made  by  the  tilting  of  a part  of 
the  earth’s  crust. 

All  of  these  western  mountains  are  rich  in  mineral  de- 
posits. The  Rocky  Mountains  proper  contain  valuable  sil- 
ver and  copper  mines.  The  state  of  Colorado  is  one  of  the 
great  silver-producing  states  of  our  union.  Much  gold  is 
found;  also  iron  and  other  minerals  that  are  useful  to 
man.  Many  important  mineral  springs  are  located  in  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  The  most  important  of  these  are  on 
the  eastern  slopes  of  the  range.  At  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tains on  the  east  are  several  health  resorts  that  are  popular 
with  eastern  tourists.  These  resorts  are  frequently  located 
near  the  mineral  springs  which  abound  in  the  region.  In 
some  sections  are  hot  geysers  that  bubble  or  shoot  up 


54 


Our  Country 


from  fhe  ground.  Many  geysers  and  hot  springs  are  located 
in  the  state  of  Wyoming. 

The  scenery  which  these  mountains  present  is  much 
grander  than  that  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands.  Every- 
thing in  the  Rocky  Mountains  seems  built  upon  a larger 
scale  than  in  the  mountains  of  the  East.  Some  of  the 
canyons  are  a mile  deep  while  the  peaks  are  three  or  four 
miles  high.  Vast  stretches  of  plateaus  cover  large  areas 
in  the  interior  states  and  offer  to  tourists  a different  land- 
scape from  any  found  elsewhere  in  our  country. 

West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  are  two  important 
plateaus.  One  known  as  the  Columbia  Plateau  occupies 
the  area  in  the  north  about  the  Columbia  and  Snake  rivers. 
The  other  in  the  south  lies  along  the  Colorado  River.  The 
northern  plateau  is  composed  mostly  of  intruded  lava. 
This  lava  is  not  the  product  of  an  active  volcano,  but  came 
to  the  surface  by  slowly  oozing  from  fissures  in  the  earth’s 
crust.  Through  this  lava  bed  the  Snake  River  has  cut  a 
very  interesting  and  picturesque  canyon.  This  river  is  a 
tributary  of  the  Columbia,  entering  the  larger  river  from 
the  south.  In  the  Snake  River  are  the  Shoshone  Falls,  one 
of  the  scenic  wonders  of  the  West.  These  are  the  second 
largest  falls  in  our  country,  being  surpassed  only  by 
Niagara  in  western  New  York.  This  lava  plateau  is 
now  covered  with  trees  and  vegetation  of  all  kinds.  Since 
the  lava  covered  the  region  it  has  had  time  to  change  into 
soil  and  to  produce  a luxuriant  crop  of  vegetation. 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands 


55 


The  Colorado  River  has  also  cut  a canyon  through  the 
southern  plateau.  In  some  places  this  canyon  is  a mile 
deep.  The  Colorado  has  cut  several  canyons  in  the  states 
of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona.  All  of  these  cuts  are  inter- 
esting, but  the  deepest  one,  the  Grand  Canyon,  is  one  of 
the  natural  wonders  of  our  country.  All  of  these 
canyons  have  been  cut  through  solid  rock  by  aid  of  the 
rock  waste  that  the  river  has  brought  down  from  the  moun- 
tains. The  river  has  really  never  changed  its  present  level, 
but  the  plateau  has  been  slowly  raised,  the  river  cutting 
its  bed  just  as  fast  as  the  plateau  was  lifted. 

This  plateau  is  not  well  suited  for  agriculture  because 
the  climate  is  arid.  Within  recent  years  many  sections  have 
been  irrigated  and  now  produce  good  crops.  Expensive 
dams  have  been  built  across  the  river  and  artificial  lakes 
have  been  formed.  Water  thus  stored  up  is  taken  to  the 
dry  areas  through  ditches  and  canals.  The  soil  contains 
plenty  of  plant  food  that  becomes  available  when  water  is 
added  to  it. 

North  of  the  Colorado  Plateau  is  located  the  Great 
Basin  of  our  country.  This  is  a depressed  area  occupying 
the  larger  part  of  the  state  of  Nevada  and  much  of  the 
state  of  Utah.  The  Great  Basin  is  really  a saucer-like 
depression  in  the  plateau  section.  Most  of  the  land  in  it  is 
useless  for  cultivation  unless  irrigated.  The  rivers  of  the 
basin  area  are  all  small  and  unimportant.  Many  of  them 
disappear  into  the  ground,  others  flow  into  the  salt 


56 


Our  Country 


COLORADO  CANYON 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 


lakes  found  here.  The  largest  of  these  lakes  is  Great  Salt 
Lake,  near  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  It  is  what  remains  of  a 
once  larger  lake  known  as  Lake  Bonneville. 

West  of  the  Great  Basin  are  the  California  mountain 
ranges.  These  ranges  are  called  the  Sierra  Nevada  and 
Cascade  ranges.  They  are  high  enough  to  intercept  the 
rain-bearing  winds  from  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  to  cause 
the  Basin  area  -to  be  very  arid.  The  moisture  in  these 
westerly  winds  is  condensed  upon  the  western  slopes  of 
these  ranges,  thus  leaving  the  eastern  slopes  deficient  in 
rainfall. 

Within  the  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands  are  several 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands 


57 


areas  owned  by  the  United  States  Government.  These  are 
held  as  national  parks  or  as  forest  reservations.  Yellow- 
stone National  Park  is  located  in  the  northwestern  corner 
of  the  state  of  Wyoming.  This  reservation  is  held  as  the 
common  property  of  all  our  citizens.  It  contains  some  of 
the  most  beautiful  scenery  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the 
United  States.  There  are  many  hot  springs  and  geysers 
within  its  boundaries.  Yellowstone  Lake  in  this  park  is  a 
beautiful  body  of  water.  In  other  sections  of  this  highland 
are  reservations  set  aside  for  the  conservation  of  forests 
or  as  homes  for  Indian  tribes. 

The  most  important  products  that  come  from  this  area 
are  the  minerals  deposited  in  the  mountains.  In  many 
places  extensive  mining  industries  are  carried  on  and  the 
various  ores  taken  from  the  earth  are  very  valuable.  In  the 
northern  and  eastern  sections  sheep  raising  is  carried 
on  profitably.  The  slopes  of  many  of  the  mountains  pro- 
duce good  grass  for  grazing  and  there  are  many  sheep 
ranches  here.  Much  salt  is  obtained  from  the  regions 
about  the  salt  lakes  and  shipped  to  other  parts  of  our 
country.  Great  Salt  Lake  in  Utah  is  rich  in  salt  deposits 
and  water  from  this  lake  is  evaporated  to  get  the  salt. 
Sulphur  is  mined  in  the  states  of  Arizona  and  New  Mexico. 
Borax  also  is  obtained  from  some  sections  of  the  plateau. 
In  the  mountains  of  the  north,  especially  in  the  states 
of  Montana  and  Idaho,  are  important  copper  mines.  This 
mineral  is  largely  used  in  the  manufacture  of  wire  to 


58 


Our  Country 


conduct  electricity.  The  cities  of  Anaconda  and  Butte 
have  large  copper  smelters  where  this  metal  is  separated 
from  the  ore  in  which  it  is  found.  The  Coeur  d’  Alene 
region  in  the  mountains  of  Montana  and  Idaho  has  impor- 
tant copper  deposits. 

Several  railroads  cross  this  section  of  our  country.  In 
the  north,  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  with  its  tributary 
lines  crosses  the  mountains  through  the  natural  passes. 
This  road  has  done  much  toward  developing  that  part 
of  the  country.  In  the  central  section,  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  transports  quantities  of  goods  that  are  needed 
in  that  region.  Across  the  southern  area  extends  the 
Southern  Pacific  which  is  the  outlet  for  the  southern 
highlands. 

All  these  railroad  lines  extend  to  principal  Pacific 
ports.  Some  of  the  railroad  companies  own  and  operate 
large  ocean  steamers  that  carry  trade  from  the  western 
seaports  to  the  cities  of  Asia.  Besides  the  main  lines  of 
railroad  there  are  many  smaller  tributary  lines  that  con- 
nect interior  parts  of  the  highlands.  This  region  is  not  as 
well  supplied  with  railroads  as  the  eastern  parts  of  our 
country,  but  new  lines  are  being  built  continually.  The 
building  of  large  irrigating  plants  has  done  much  to  open 
great  sections  of  the  country  to  cultivation.  As  agricul- 
tural industries  increase,  there  will  be  a greater  demand 
for  transportation  and  railroads  will  be  built  to  meet  it. 

The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands  contain  many  peaks 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands 


59 


that  once  were  active  volcanoes.  The  most  important  of 
these  is  Mt.  Shasta  in  northern  California.  This  moun- 
tain is  a part  of  the  Cascade  Range  and  belongs  to  the 
highland  section.  Mt.  Shasta  is  one  of  the  best  examples 
of  volcanic  formation  in  our  country.  It  is  an  extinct 
volcano  that  has  been  built  up  by  successive  eruptions. 
Since  the  volcano  ceased  its  active  work,  the  mountain  top 
has  become  covered  with  snow  and  ice.  There  are  several 
well  developed  glaciers  near  the  top  that  supply  water  for 
small  streams  running  down  its  sides.  The  western  side 
of  the  mountain  has  been  eroded  by  the  moisture  condensed 
from  the  westerly  rain-bearing  winds  that  come  from  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  Surrounding  the  main  peak  of  Shasta  are 
a number  of  smaller  volcanic  cones. 

Another  interesting  volcanic  mountain  is  Mt.  Mazama 
in  Oregon.  Its  old  crater  is  filled  with  a lake  known 
as  Crater  Lake.  A smaller  cone  has  been  built  up  within 
the  main  crater  and  now  appears  as  an  island  above  the 
i surface  of  Crater  Lake.  Mt.  Hood  in  northern  Oregon  and 
| Mt.  Ranier  in  Washington  are  two  other  volcanic  peaks  in 
this  region.  Pike’s  Peak  in  Colorado  is  the  highest  point 
in  the  eastern  ranges  of  the  Highlands  and  is  a noted  resort 
for  tourists.  Its  top  is  reached  by  an  incline  railroad,  but 
many  people  prefer  to  climb  its  steep  sides  on  foot. 

Before  the  purchase  of  the  Louisiana  Territory,  this 
section  of  our  country  was  little  known  to  the  eastern 
settlers.  When  Lewis  and  Clark  crossed  the  mountains  of 


60 


Our  Country 


Montana  and  descended  the  Columbia  River,  our  people 
first  began  to  realize  the  great  possibilities  that  lay  dormant 
in  this  western  country.  Some  years  later,  Fremont  crossed 
the  highlands  from  Salt  Lake  to  California  and  gave 
his  countrymen  the  first  good  description  of  this  area. 
After  Fremont  made  his  explorations,  Powell  descended 
through  the  canyon  of  the  Colorado  and  opened  up  the 
southern  section. 

These  explorations  were  the  beginning  of  the  develop- 
ment of  the  West.  When  gold  was  discovered  in  California 
in  1849,  thousands  of  our  eastern  people  crossed  the  moun- 
tains and  arid  plains  to  the  Pacific  coastal  regions.  Many 
of  the  gold  seekers  did  not  live  to  reach  California,  but  per- 
ished, leaving  their  bones  in  the  deserts  through  which  they 
attempted  to  pass.  The  discovery  of  the  precious  metals 
was  the  second  step  in  the  development  of  the  West.  The 
third  step  was  the  construction  of  railroads  to  the  western 
coast.  The  first  road  was  finished  in  1869  and  the  develop- 
ment of  this  western  territory  from  that  time  has  been 
rapid. 


OUR  RIVERS  AND  LAKES 


The  rivers  and  lakes  of  our  country  are  important 
physical  features.  Besides  being  natural  drainage  basins, 
they  influence  the  climate  and  offer  easy  communication 
between  different  parts  of  the  country.  There  are  many 
large  rivers  in  the  United  States.  Each  large  river  with 
all  its  tributaries  forms  what  is  called  a river  system. 
All  the  land  a system  drains  is  called  a river  basin.  All  the 
systems  draining  in  the  same  general  direction  and  into 
the  same  body  of  water  are  called  drainage  areas. 

There  are  five  great  drainage  areas  in  the  United  States. 
All  the  rivers  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  country  that  drain 
into  the  Atlantic  Ocean  belong  to  the  Atlantic  drainage 
area.  The  large  Mississippi  River  with  all  its  tributaries 
and  all  the  other  rivers  that  drain  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
belong  to  the  Gulf  drainage  area.  In  the  Plateau  section 
of  our  country  are  numerous  small  rivers  that  either  drain 
into  the  inland  lakes  or  else  disappear  by  sinking  into  the 
ground.  These  rivers  drain  what  is  known  as  the  Plateau 
drainage  area.  Another  area,  known  as  the  Pacific  drain- 
age area,  is  drained  by  those  rivers  that  empty  into  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  All  those  rivers  that  empty  into  the 
Great  Lakes  or  into  the  St.  Lawrence  River  drain  another 
area  known  as  the  Lake  drainage  area.  Besides  these  there 


62 


Our  Country 


are  a few  small  rivers  that  drain  into  Canada  and  eventually 
reach  Hudson  Bay. 

Most  of  the  rivers  of  the  Atlantic  drainage  area  rise 
in  the  mountains  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands.  These 
rivers  are  comparatively  small,  but  swift  flowing.  With 
the  exception  of  the  rivers  of  the  South,  their  waters 
are  clear  and  sparkling.  None  of  them  are  navigable 
for  many  miles  up  their  courses,  but  they  are  important 
on  account  of  their  waterfalls.  These  waterfalls  supply 
excellent  power  for  manufacturing  purposes.  Some  of  these 
rivers  furnish  drinking  water  for  the  cities  located  on  their 
banks. 

Within  recent  years  the  power  derived  from  these  rivers 
has  been  converted  into  electricity  which  is  transmitted  by 
means  of  copper  cables  to  distant  towns  for  power  and  light. 
Such  rivers  as  the  Androscoggin  in  Maine,  the  Merrimac 
in  New  Hampshire,  the  Delaware  in  Pennsylvania  and  many 
of  the  rivers  of  the  South  furnish  valuable  water-power 
for  the  manufacturing  plants  located  near  them.  The  Con- 
necticut River,  which  rises  in  the  northern  part  of  New 
Hampshire  and  flows  between  that  state  and  Vermont,  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  rivers  found  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  our  country.  It  flows  through  a rich,  fertile  valley 
known  as  the  Connecticut  Valley.  It  crosses  the  states  of 
Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  and  empties  into  Long 
Island  Sound.  The  soil  this  river  has  brought  down  from 
the  north  has  made  the  farms  along  its  banks  very  fertile. 


Our  Rivers  and  Lakes 


63 


THE  HUDSON  RIVER  AT  WEST  POINT 
(Courtesy  N.  Y.  C.  R.  R.) 

The  southern  portion  of  the  Connecticut  Valley  produces  a 
fine  quality  of  tobacco. 

In  New  York  the  famous  Hudson  River  flows  through 
the  eastern  part  of  the  state.  It  rises  in  the  highlands 
of  the  Adirondacks  and  drops  rapidly  until  it  reaches  the 
city  of  Troy,  which  is  only  a few  feet  above  sea  level.  From 
1 this  city  south  to  New  York  City  it  flows  very  slowly 
I because  its  valley  is  nearly  level.  In  the  southern  part 
| of  its  course  the  river  passes  through  the  highlands  of 
the  Hudson.  These  highlands  consist  of  high,  plateau- 
like cliffs  made  of  a lava  deposit.  Just  north  of  the  city 
of  New  York,  these  cliffs  have  been  cut  into  a perpendicular 
face  by  the  river.  This  cut  in  the  plateau  is  known  as  the 


64 


Our  Country 


Palisades.  The  most  important  tributary  of  the  Hudson  is 
the  Mohawk  River  which  enters  the  main  stream  from  the 
west.  The  Mohawk  comes  from  the  western  part  of  New 
York  through  one  of  the  most  important  valleys  in  the 
world.  This  Mohawk  Valley  is  a very  valuable  gateway 
for  trade  and  is  the  natural  outlet  from  the  western  wheat 
fields  to  the  seaport  towns  of  the  Atlantic  coast. 

Both  the  Delaware  and  Susquehanna  rivers  cut  their 
channels  across  the  Appalachian  Highlands.  These  rivers 
form  noted  and  impoi'tant  water-gaps  in  the  mountains. 
South  of  the  Susquehanna,  the  Potomac  cuts  a gap  in  the 
western  mountains  of  these  highlands.  The  water-gap  at 
Harper’s  Ferry,  Virginia,  is  noted  in  the  history  of  our 
country.  South  of  the  Potomac  most  of  the  rivers  rise  in 
the  highlands,  cross  the  Piedmont  Plateau  and  drop  to  the 
Coastal  Plain  over  numerous  waterfalls.  The  location  of 
these  falls  determines  the  Fall  Line.  From  this  Fall  Line 
to  the  sea  the  rivers  flow  sluggishly  across  the  level  Coastal 
Plain,  carving  their  beds  out  of  the  sand  of  which  this  plain 
is  made.  The  rivers  of  Florida  are  noted  more  for  their 
beautiful  scenery  than  for  any  advantages  they  offer  for 
manufacturing  purposes. 

Besides  the 'great  Mississippi  River  and  its  tributaries, 
there  are  many  small  rivers  that  belong  to  the  Gulf  drain- 
age area.  Of  these  smaller  rivers,  the  largest  and  most 
important  is  the  Rio  Grande  which  forms  the  southwestern 
boundary  of  Texas.  The  mouths  of  all  of  the  Gulf  rivers 


Our  Rivers  and  Lakes 


65 


are  low  and  swampy,  and  are  often  fringed  with  sand  bars 
built  up  by  river  deposits  and  the  currents  of  the  Gulf. 

The  Mississippi  system  consists  of  the  great  Mississippi 
River  with  its  numerous  tributaries.  Besides  being  a river 
of  great  historic  interest,  the  Mississippi  is  the  most  im- 
portant waterway  lying  wholly  within  our  country.  It  is 
navigable  for  good  sized  vessels  from  its  mouth  to  St.  Paul 
in  Minnesota.  North  of  St.  Paul  small  excursion  steamers 
can  ascend  the  river  for  a few  miles. 

The  first  large  tributary  that  enters  the  main  river  is 
the  Missouri  which  flows  in  from  the  west.  This  tributary 
rises  in  the  mountains  of  Montana,  flows  across  a number 
of  western  states  and  enters  the  Mississippi  about  eleven 
miles  north  of  the  city  of  St.  Louis.  If  the  Mississippi  and 
the  Missouri  are  considered  as  one  river  from  the  source  in 
Montana  to  the  mouth  in  Louisiana,  they  form  the  longest 
river  in  the  world.  The  next  largest  tributary  entering 
the  Mississippi  is  the  Ohio  River.  This  stream  flows  from 
the  western  slopes  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  and  joins 
the  main  river  about  a hundred  miles  below  the  Missouri. 
The  lands  drained  by  the  Ohio  River  and  its  tributaries  are 
some  of  the  richest  to  be  found  in  our  country. 

South  of  the  Ohio  is  the  Arkansas,  which  flows  into  the 
Mississippi  from  the  west.  Below  the  Arkansas,  the  Red 
River  enters  the  main  stream  from  the  west.  These  two 
rivers  drain  many  of  the  important  southwestern  states. 
From  the  Ohio  River  to  its  mouth  the  Mississippi  is  very 


66 


Our  Country 


winding  in  its  course.  Rivers  that  bend  and  twist  in  their 
course  are  called  meandering  rivers.  The  origin  of  this 
term,  meandering,  is  very  interesting.  There  is  a river  in 
Asia  Minor  called  the  Meander.  This  river  is  very  winding 
in  its  course.  Whenever  another  river  was  found  that 
wound  about,  it  was  said  to  be  like  the  Meander.  Gradually 
the  term  became  common  for  all  crooked  rivers. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  River  is  one  of  the 
great  deltas  of  the  world.  When  a river  washes  down  a 
great  deal  of  soil  from  the  upland  country  which  it  drains, 
and  deposits  this  soil  at  its  mouth,  it  forms  a bed  or  plain 
called  a delta.  This  name  is  given  to  these  plains  because 
the  shape  in  which  they  are  formed  is  like  the  Greek  letter, 
“delta.”  When  the  water  flowing  down  the  river  bed  meets 
the  still  water  of  the  ocean  it  is  checked  and  the  soil  par- 
ticles that  it  is  carrying  sink  to  the  bottom  and  make  the 
delta  plains.  As  these  plains  are  built  up,  the  river  water 
seeks  channels  through  which  it  may  pass.  In  this  way  the 
river  is  divided  into  several  outlets  called  distributaries. 
Tributaries  are  the  streams  that  flow  into  a river ; distribu- 
taries are  the  streams  that  flow  out  of  a river. 

The  Mississippi  rises  at  about  the  forty-eighth  parallel 
of  north  .latitude  and  empties  into  the. Gulf  of  Mexico  at 
the  twenty-eighth.  Hence  the  river  flows  through  twenty 
degrees  of  latitude.  A river  that  flows  through  such  an 
extensive  range  of  territory  must  be  an  important  river. 
As  its  flow  is  from  north  to  south,  there  is  a great 


Our  Rivers  and  Lakes 


67 


variety  of  climatic  conditions  found  along  its  course.  The 
soils  through  which  it  passes  are  also  varied  and  offer 
opportunities  for  the  growing  of  many  different  kinds 
of  crops.  The  Mississippi  River  passes  from  the  great 
wheat  fields  of  the  North,  through  the  corn  areas  of  the 
central  part  of  our  country,  across  the  cotton  belt  of  the 
South  and  through  the  rice  and  sugar  cane  sections  of  the 
Gulf  coast.  Its  tributaries  stretch  into  the  farthermost 
corners  of  the  food  producing  areas  of  our  country.  The 
Mississippi  and  its  tributaries  drain  the  most  important 
area  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world. 

The  rivers  of  the  Plateau  drainage  area  are  all  small 
and  of  little  importance  commercially.  They  lie  in  the 
region  between  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Cascade  and 
Sierra  Nevada  mountains.  With  the  exception  of  the 
Colorado  and  Columbia  rivers  that  pass  through  this  area, 
but  do  not  belong  to  it,  there  are  no  rivers  of  any  great 
importance.  Most  of  the  streams  drain  into  lakes  that 
have  no  outlets.  Many  of  these  inland  rivers  flow  along 
for  several  miles  and  then  entirely  disappear,  either  by 
evaporating  in  the  arid  atmosphere  or  by  sinking  into  the 
earth  and  running  off  as  underground  rivers.  Most  of  the 
larger  rivers  have  their  sources  in  the  melting  snows  of  the 
mountaintops.  Some  of  the  streams  are  intermittent;  that 
is,  they  flow  only  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year. 

Owing  to  the  peculiar  formation  of  the  Pacific  coast, 
there  are  few  rivers  that  belong  to  the  Pacific  drainage 


68 


Our  Country 


area.  In  the  south  the  Colorado  is  the  most  interesting. 
This  river  rises  high  up  in  the  mountains  of  Colorado  and 
flows  through  a series  of  deep  gorges  and  canyons  into  the 
Gulf  of  California.  In  Arizona  the  stream  has  cut  a canyon 
one  mile  deep  in  the  solid  rock.  This  deep  gorge  is  known 
as  the  Grand  Canyon  and  is  one  of  the  scenic  wonders 
of  our  country.  All  the  valley  land  southwest  of  the 
city  of  Yuma  has  been  built  up  by  the  deposits  of  soil  and 
waste  that  the  Colorado  has  brought  down  from  the  moun- 
tains. The  small  valley  just  north  of  the  head  of  the  Gulf  of 
California  is  delta  land  built  up  by  this  river. 

In  the  northern  part  of  the  Pacific  drainage  area  is  the 
Columbia  River,  This  river  with  its  important  tributary, 
the  Snake  River,  drains  the  states  of  Idaho,  Washington 
and  Oregon.  The  main  river  rises  in  the  highlands,  cuts  its 
way  through  a great  lava  plateau  and  enters  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  forming  the  boundary  between  Washington  and  Ore- 
gon. The  river  is  noted  for  the  salmon  that  are  caught  in  I 
its  waters.  Valuable  forests  are  found  along  its  banks. 

The  St.  Lawrence  system  consists  of  five  great  lakes,  the 
St.  Lawrence  River  and  a few  small  tributary  rivers  located 
on  the  northeast  border  of  our  country.  Most  of  the  small 
rivers  drain  directly  into  the  lakes,  but  some,  like  the  Riche- 
lieu River  from  Lake  Champlain,  drain  into  the  St.  Lawrence. 
The  five  lakes  constitute  the  largest  and  most  important 
bodies  of  fresh  water  found  anywhere  in  the  world.  They 
are,  in  order  of  their  location  from  west  to  east,  Superior, 


Our  Rivers  and  Lakes 


69 


ALONG  THE  GREAT  -LAKES 


Michigan,  Huron,  Erie  and  Ontario.  The  lakes  are  con- 
nected by  short  rivers  and  canals,  so  transportation  on  their 
■waters  is  easy.  The  canal  connecting  Lake  Superior  with 
Lake  Huron,  called  the  Soo,  is  second  in  importance  in  the 
world.  Through  this  canal  are  carried  more  tons  of  freight 
every  year  than  are  transported  through  any  other  canal. 

Between  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Ontario  is  the  Niagara 
River.  This  river  passes  from  the  higher  elevation  of  Lake 
Erie  over  a great  waterfall  to  Lake  Ontario.  This  waterfall 
is  one  of  the  two  or  three  great  falls  of  the  world.  The 
Niagara  River  drops  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  into  a narrow  gorge  and  rushes  along  into  the 
lower  lake.  Within  recent  years  large  electric  plants  have 
been  built  on  the  banks  of  this  river  near  the  falls.  These 
are  now  utilizing  the  wonderful  water  power  obtained  there. 

Few  of  the  other  lakes  of  the  United  States  have  any 
commercial  use,  but  they  are  valuable  as  sources  of  drink- 


70 


Our  Country 


ing  water  and  for  the  beautiful  scenery  with  which  they 
are  surrounded.  The  lakes  of  the  New  England  States 
are  noted  for  their  beauty  and  for  the  fine  summer  resorts 
on  their  shores.  Moosehead  in  Maine,  Winnepesaukee  in 
New  Hampshire  and  Champlain  in  Vermont  are  lakes 
that  have  wonderful  natural  settings.  The  water  of  these 
lakes  is  especially  clear.  Some  of  the  New  England  lakes 
rank  in  beauty  with  those  of  Switzerland.  In  the  western 
part  of  New  York  is  a series  of  lakes  known  as  the  Finger 
Lakes.  These  lie  near  the  cities  of  Syracuse  and  Rochester, 
and  are  what  remains  of  an  old  lake  that  once  covered  that 
section  of  the  state.  Near  these  lakes  are  valuable  deposits 
of  salt  that  were  left  by  the  prehistoric  lake. 

The  vegetation  that  surrounds  the  lakes  of  the  Southern 
States  is  subtropical.  In  Florida  the  lakes  are  fringed  with 
palms  and  cypress,  and  some  of  them  afford  charming 
winter  resorts.  The  lakes  in  the  plateau  section  are  all  salt. 
In  this  area  is  located  the  Great  Salt  Lake  of  Utah.  This 
lake  is  all  that  remains  of  a much  greater  body  of  water 
that  once  occupied  a large  part  of  the  Great  Basin.  The 
borders  of  this  prehistoric  lake  may  still  be  traced  along  the 
sides  of  the  highlands. 


OUR  HARBORS 


It  is  a great  advantage  to  any  country  to  have  a sea- 
coast.  If  the  country  is  large  and  rich  in  natural  products, 
it  is  desirable  for  that  country  to  carry  on  trade  with  other 
countries.  This  trade  is  conveniently  carried  on  by  water. 
Both  the  eastern  and  western  hemispheres  have  now  be- 
come thickly  settled  and  a very  large  trade  is  carried  on 
between  them.  In  order  to  transport  the  commodities  of 
one  country  to  another,  numerous  lines  of  steamships  cross 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans  regularly.  If  the  seacoasts 
of  a country  have  no  good  harbors,  it  is  impossible  to 
develop  an  important  foreign  trade,  as  such  a trade  depends 
entirely  on  boats  for  its  transportation.  A good  harbor  is 
the  most  important  coastal  formation  that  is  to  be  found 
on  the  seacoast  of  any  country.  Our  country  is  so  large 
and  produces  such  a quantity  of  the  necessities  of  life  that 
its  harbors  are  of  immense  advantage  to  it. 

A harbor  is  a place  in  the  coast  of  a country  where 
vessels  may  load  and  unload  their  cargoes  in  safety.  Har- 
bors that  are  used  by  vessels  engaged  in  foreign  trade  are 
called  ports.  The  location  of  these  ports  depends  on  many 
physical  conditions.  The  harbor  must  be  protected  from 
the  heavy  waves  and  high  tides  of  the  ocean;  it  must 
have  a good,  deep  channel  that  is  open  to  navigation 


72 


Our  Country 


throughout  the  year,  and  it  must  be  a place  where  vessels 
can  anchor  easily  and  safely.  It  must  have  ample  room 
to  accommodate  all  the  ships  that  wish  to  use  the  port. 
The  water  of  the  harbor  must  be  deep  enough  to  allow  ves- 
sels to  come  near  the  shore  and  the  coast  line  must  be  long 
enough  to  permit  the  erection  of  enough  wharves  to  ac- 
commodate the  ocean  trade.  The  shore  should  also  extend 
back  a considerable  distance  so  that  vehicles  used  for  carry- 
ing products  to  the  ships  may  approach  the  wharves  with- 
out difficulty.  There  should  be  a good  bottom  to  the 
harbor  so  that  vessels  may  anchor  safely.  There  should 
not  be  strong  river  or  tidal  currents,  as  these  are  likely 
to  injure  the  vessels  while  in  port.  The  best  of  our  harbors 
are  also  protected  by  interior  highlands  that  break  the 
force  of  the  continental  winds.  It  is  seldom  that  any  one 
harbor  offers  all  of  these  advantages,  but  many  harbors 
combine  most  of  them  and  form  excellent  shipping  ports 
for  our  country. 

Most  of  the  large  ports  of  the  world  are  situated  at  or 
near  the  mouths  of  rivers.  These  ports  are  generally 
located  as  far  up  the  river  as  ships  can  go.  Savannah, 
Georgia,  is  an  excellent  example  of  a river  harbor.  New 
Orleans,  Jacksonville  and  Philadelphia  are  other  examples. 
Some  harbors  are  situated  at  the  estuaries  of  rivers.  An 
estuary  is  a sort  of  bay  which  the  ocean  has  washed  out 
in  the  mouth  of  a river,  flooding  the  lower  river  valley. 
The  St.  Lawrence  River  from  Quebec  to  the  seacoast  is  an 


Our  Harbors 


73 


estuary  and  the  mouth  of  the  Mersey  River  in  the  western 
part  of  England  is  a fine  example  of  this  formation.  New 
York  is  often  spoken  of  as  an  estuary  harbor,  but  it  presents 
some  features  of  a fiord  harbor.  A fiord  harbor  is  made 
where  the  highlands  of  a country  meet  the  seacoast  and  the 
ocean  has  flowed  into  a valley  between  the  hills.  There 
are  many  good  fiord  harbors  on  the  coasts  of  Norway  and 
Alaska. 

Another  form  of  harbor  is  known  as  the  delta  harbor. 
This  harbor  is  made  by  delta  deposits  at  the  mouths  of 
rivers.  Although  New  Orleans  is  now  considered  a.  river 
harbor  it  is  really  a delta-built  harbor,  for  the  Mississippi 
has  deposited  all  the  land  forming  the  southern  part  of 
Louisiana.  Many  sandy  bars  and  reefs  are  built  out  from 
the  shore  line  enclosing  bodies  of  water  that  are  well  pro- 
tected from  storms,  but  many  are  too  shallow  to  admit 
any  but  smaller  vessels.  Such  harbors  are  called  lagoon 
harbors.  Galveston,  Texas,  has  a harbor  that  was  orig- 
inally formed  in  this  way,  but  it  has  been  improved  and 
enlarged  by  artificial  means.  When  a volcanic  cone  sinks 
to  sea  level  and  the  rim  is  broken  in,  the  seawater  will 
fill  the  crater.  Such  a harbor  is  called  a crater  harbor; 
an  example  of  this  kind  is  found  in  the  Island  of 
Ischia  near  the  city  of  Naples  in  Italy.  Coral  reefs  and 
atolls  often  form  good  harbors.  The  city  of  Hamilton  in 
the  Bermuda  Islands  has  an  atoll  harbor.  An  atoll  is  built 
in  the  shape  of  a belt  enclosing  a lagoon  of  seawater.  If 


74 


Our  Country 


there  is  a break  in  this  belt  through  which  vessels  may 
pass,  the  lagoon  often  offers  excellent  harbor  facilities. 

The  presence  of  harbors  determines  the  location  of  our 
most  important  seaport  cities.  Wherever  the  coast  is 
much  broken  by  indentations  of  the  ocean,  harbors  of  some 
kind  are  likely  to  abound  and  those  harbors  which  have  easy 
communication  with  the  interior  parts  of  the  continent 
will  become  great  ports  of  trade.  The  locations  of  such 
cities  as  New  York,  Philadelphia,  New  Orleans  and  San 
Francisco  are  not  accidental,  but  are  directly  due  to  cer- 
tain geographic  conditions.  The  nearness  of  productive 
areas,  the  location  of  natural  waterways  and  the  ease  with 
which  railroads  may  be  built  largely  determine  our  centers 
of  export  trade. 

As  the  Atlantic  coast  of  our  country  is  longer  and 
more  irregular  than  the  Pacific  coast  there  are  many 
more  harbors  on  it.  In  general,  the  harbors  of  the  North 
are  deeper  and  better  than  the  harbors  of  the  South,  be- 
cause the  coast  is  more  irregular  and  not  so  low.  Such 
cities  in  the  North  as  Portland,  Portsmouth,  Boston,  New 
York  and  Philadelphia  have  excellent  harbors.  The  ports 
of  the  southern  coasts  are  generally  river  ports.  They  are 
not  so  deep  as  the  north  Atlantic  ports,  nor  are  they  so 
well  situated  for  carrying  on  a foreign  trade  with  the  ports 
of  Europe.  Since  the  opening  of  the  Panama  Canal,  all 
the  ports  of  the  Gulf  and  most  of  the  ports  of  the  south 


Our  Harbors 


75 


Atlantic  states  are  experiencing  an  increase  of  trade,  and  a 
greater  prosperity  will  naturally  follow  this  advantage. 

There  are  few  good  harbors  on  the  Pacific  coast  be- 
cause the  shore  line  is  more  regular  than  that  of  the  east- 
ern border  of  our  country.  Seattle,  Portland,  Tacoma,  and 
San  Francisco  are  the  leading  ports  of  this  coast.  The 
harbors  of  Seattle  and  Tacoma  are  located  on  an  arm  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean  that  has  overflowed  a valley  and  formed 
a fiord.  Portland  is  a river  harbor.  The  harbor  of  San 
Francisco  has  been  made  by  the  ocean  reaching  through  a 
gap  in  the  coast  range  of  mountains  and  overflowing  a 
small  valley  east  of  the  mountains.  The  mouth  of  this  har- 
bor is  called  the  Golden  Gate.  It  is  noted  for  its  beautiful 
sunset  effects. 

Sometimes  harbors  are  built  by  man.  Frequently  it  is 
inconvenient  to  take  the  products  of  an  area  to  some  nat- 
ural harbor,  therefore  artificial  harbors  are  constructed 
near  the  area  of  production.  Large  stone  breakwaters  are 
built  out  into  the  ocean,  enclosing  a part  of  the  sea.  These 

(breakwaters  protect  the  harbor  from  the  most  severe 
storms  and  offer  a fairly  good  shelter  for  anchored  vessels. 
Both  the  cities  of  Colon  and  Panama  have  artificially  built 
harbors.  Many  European  cities  also  have  harbors  con- 
structed in  this  way.  In  California  the  city  of  San  Pedro 
has  an  artificial  harbor  that  is  protected  by  a breakwater 
two  miles  long. 


76 


Our  Country 


For  a number  of  years  the  harbor  of  Portsmouth  on 
the  coast  of  New  Hampshire  was  considered  the  best  har- 
bor on  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  but  it  is  now  surpassed  by 
many  others.  When  the  ship  Great  Eastern  came  to  this 
country  for  the  first  time,  the  harbor  of  Portsmouth  was 
the  only  one  large  enough  for  that  vessel  to  enter. 
Now  we  have  many  ships  larger  than  the  Great  East- 
ern that  ply  between  many  of  our  north  Atlantic  ports 
and  Europe.  Transatlantic  steamship  lines  run  regularly 
from  Portland,  Boston,  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  These 
ships  carry  thousands  of  passengers  and  many  tons  of 
valuable  freight.  Most  of  the  large  railroads  that  cross 
the  country  terminate  in  these  cities  and  bring  the  products 
of  the  West  for  export  to  foreign  countries.  Portland  is 
the  center  of  a large  Canadian  export  trade.  Boston  and 
New  York  take  the  products  of  the  Middle  West  and  send 
them  across  the  ocean  in  vessels  that  use  their  harbors  for 
ports  of  call,  while  Philadelphia  exports  the  ores  found 
in  the  eastern  mountains  of  our  country.  From  the  ports 
south  of  Baltimore  a great  deal  of  cotton  and  naval  stores 
are  shipped  to  European  countries.  From  Savannah  on 
the  southeast  coast,  Mobile  and  Galveston  on  the  Gulf  and 
New  Orleans  on  the  Mississippi  River  there  are  many  lines 
of  steamers  that  carry  the  southern  products  to  Liverpool, 
Manchester  and  the  German  ports.  The  trade  of  the  ports 
of  the  Pacific  is  carried  on  mostly  with  China  and  Japan. 
Various  manufactured  articles,  including  machinery  and 


Our  Harbors 


77 


lumber,  are  shipped  across  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  teas, 
spices  and  silks  are  brought  back. 

Boston  is  the  most  important  port  in  the  New  England 
States.  It  is  the  exporting  center  for  the  products  of  that 
region.  The  harbor  is  not  very  large,  but  it  is  well  pro- 
tected by  a series  of  skirting  islands  that  shut  off  the  severe 
storms  of  the  north  Atlantic.  On  the  landward  side  the 
harbor  is  sheltered  by  a range  of  low  hills  that  break  the 
severe  winds  from  the  west. 

The  harbor  of  New  York  is  the  most  important  one  in 
our  country.  This  port  is  located  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hud- 
son River  and  consists  of  two  distinct  parts,  the  upper  and 
the  lower  bay.  The  city  of  New  York  is  on  the  island  of 
Manhattan,  which  is  separated  from  the  mainland  by  the 
Hudson  River  on  the  west  and  the  Harlem  River  on  the 
north,  which  extends  from  the  Hudson  River  to  the  East 
River.  East  River  is  a strait  between  the  cities  of  New 
York  and  Brooklyn  that  connects  Long  Island  Sound  with 
the  harbor  of  New  York. 

The  upper  bay  lies  west  of  Long  Island  and  fur- 
nishes over  fifty  miles  of  wharfage.  This  large  docking 
area  extends  northward  on  both  sides  of  the  city  and  is 
utilized  every  day  in  the  year  by  the  vessels  that  make 
New  York  their  port  of  call.  The  lower  bay  is  not  so  deep 
as  the  upper  one,  being  a shallow  indentation  of  the  At- 
lantic Ocean.  This  bay  is  protected  on  the  southeast  by 
a sandy  hook  that  has  been  built  out  from  the  New  Jersey 


78 


Our  Country 


NEW  YORK  HARBOR 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 

coast  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  eastern  side  is  pro- 
tected by  another  sand  bar  known  as  Coney  Island.  These 
two  bars  threaten  to  enclose  the  harbor,  as  they  are  con- 
tinually being  built  up  by  the  washing  of  the  ocean  cur- 
rents. Many  thousands  of  dollars  are  spent  annually  in 
deepening  the  channel  of  this  harbor  so  that  large  vessels 
used  in  modern. commerce  may  have  no  trouble  in  entering 
the  port. 

The  harbor  of  Philadelphia  is  located  on  the  Delaware 
River.  The  city  is  situated  some  distance  from  the  mouth 
of  the  river  because  the  lower  river  banks  are  so  sandy 
that  they  do  not  form  a good  location  for  a large  city. 


Our  Harbors 


79 


Philadelphia  is  near  the  coal  areas  of  the  East  and  has  ex- 
cellent railroad  communication  with  the  mines.  The  city 
has  a good  channel  to  the  ocean  and  many  large  Atlantic 
liners  use  its  wharves.  As  Philadelphia  has  no  easy  com- 
munication with  the  West  it  does  not  equal  New  York  as 
a port  of  commerce.  New  York  has  a natural  gateway  in 
the  Mohawk  and  Hudson  valleys  through  which  the  heavy 
raw  products  of  the  West  may  be  easily  and  cheaply  trans- 
ported. 

Baltimore  is  situated  on  an  arm  of  Chesapeake  Bay. 
It  is  an  important  manufacturing  center  and  has  a large 
coastal  and  foreign  trade.  Chesapeake  Bay  is  open  through- 
out the  year  and  furnishes  access  to  the  interior  towns. 
Wilmington,  the  seaport  of  North  Carolina,  is  located  on 
Cape  Fear  River  near  its  mouth.  It  has  a good  coastwise 
trade,  but  little  foreign  commerce.  The  city  of  Charles- 
ton is  the  port  of  South  Carolina  and  has  important  coastal 
connections.  Savannah  is  the  principal  port  of  Georgia.  It 
is  located  on  the  river  of  the  same  name  and  has  an  exten- 
sive river  harbor  that  has  been  greatly  improved  by  dredg- 
ing. Savannah  has  the  largest  trade  in  naval  stores  of  any 
city  in  the  world  and  ranks  high  as  a lumber  and  cotton 
' port.  As  a cotton  exporting  city  it  ranks  third  in  our  coun- 
try. Jacksonville,  on  the  St.  Johns  River  in  Florida,  ex- 
ports a great  deal  of  lumber  and  has  important  sawmill  in- 
dustries. The  country  about  Jacksonville  is  so  low  and  the 


80 


Our  Country 


river  valley  is  so  level  that  the  tides  of  the  ocean  pass  up  the 
St.  Johns  River  above  the  city. 

The  six  important  ports  on  or  near  the  Gulf  coast  are 
Key  West,  Tampa  and  Pensacola  in  Florida,  Mobile  in  Ala- 
bama, New  Orleans  in  Louisiana,  and  Galveston  in  Texas. 
New  Orleans  is  the  largest  of  these  cities  and  is  located  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Mississippi  River,  about  one  hundred 
miles  from  its  mouth.  Large  vessels  pass  up  the  Mississippi 
to  the  wharves  of  this  city  to  take  the  products  of  the  South 
to  foreign  markets.  Galveston  and  New  Orleans  are  large 
cotton  shipping  ports,  New  Orleans  being  the  most  impor- 
tant cotton  port  in  the  South.  Mobile  is  situated  on  the  west 
shore  of  Mobile  Bay,  in  Alabama.  This  city  has  a large 
coastwise  trade  and  sends  many  of  its  products  to  other 
sections  of  the  country.  Pensacola  is  the  port  of  western 
Florida  and  has  an  excellent  harbor.  Tampa,  on  Tampa 
Bay,  is  the  port  of  southwestern  Florida.  It  imports 
tobacco,  which  is  manufactured  into  cigars  in  the  factories 
of  the  city.  On  one  of  the  islands  extending  from  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  Florida  is  the  city  of  Key  West.  This  city 
is  also  a large  tobacco  importing  center.  Within  recent 
years  Key  West'  has  been  connected  with  the  mainland  by  a 
railroad  built  over  the  Florida  Keys.  Extending  part  of  its 
way  over  the  open  ocean,  this  road  is  one  of  the  engineering 
feats  of  recent  times  and  has  opened  the  city  to  a large  do- 
mestic trade. 


Our  Harbors 


81 


The  most  important  port  on  the  Pacific  coast  is  San 
Francisco.  This  city  is  situated  on  a peninsula  stretching 
northward  to  the  Golden  Gate.  San  Francisco’s  harbor  has 
fine  protection  and  plenty  of  wharfage.  Most  of  the  foreign 
trade  of  the  city  is  carried  on  with  China  and  Japan.  The 
city  imports  sugar  from  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  Fruits, 
lumber  and  some  grain  are  exported.  Along  the  north  Pa- 
cific coast  are  three  important  seaports.  Portland  in  Ore- 
gon is  located  on  the  Willamette  River  and  has  excellent 
river  harbor  facilities.  The  city  is  in  a grain  producing 
area  and  has  also  large  lumber  interests.  Both  of  these 
products  are  exported  from  its  harbor.  Seattle  and  Tacoma 
are  the  seaports  of  the  state  of  Washington.  These  two 
cities  are  located  on  Puget  Sound  and  their  foreign  trade  is 
carried  on  with  Asiatic  countries  and  the  islands  of  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  The  city  of  Sitka  is  the  seaport  of  southern 
Alaska,  while  Nome  in  the  northwest  is  the  center  of  trade 
for  that  section  of  this  territory.  The  mineral  and  fishing 
products  of  Alaska  pass  through  these  ports  on  their  way  to 
the  United  States.  As  the  agricultural  interests  of  Alaska 
develop,  large  cargoes  of  grain  will  probably  be  shipped 
from  these  cities  to  ports  in  our  country. 


OUR  AGRICULTURAL  AREAS 


The  most  important  agricultural  products  raised  in  this 
country  are  the  cereals  and  hay.  Corn,  wheat,  oats,  barley, 
rye  and  rice  are  the  cereals  in  common  use.  The  states  com- 
prising the  northern  part  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  produce 
the  largest  yields  of  these  crops.  Illinois  has  the  largest 
acreage  of  any  of  these  states,  and  Iowa,  Indiana  and  Ohio 
follow  closely.  The  corn  crop  is  more  generally  distributed 
over  the  country  than  any  of  the  other  cereals.  More  than 
half  the  corn  raised  is  produced  east  of  the  Mississippi 
River.  On  the  other  hand,  the  largest  wheat  yield  is  pro- 
duced west  of  the  Mississippi.  In  New  England  and  in  the 
Middle  Atlantic  States  the  oat  crop  is  more  important  than 
the  corn  crop. 

Barley  is  relatively  unimportant  as  a cereal.  More  of 
this  grain  is  raised  along  the  Pacific  coast  than  any- 
where else.  Rye  is  also  an  unimportant  crop,  forming  only 
about  six  and  a half  per  cent  of  the  total  acreage  given 
up  to  the  cereals  in  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  it  forms  a 
still  lower  acreage  in  other  parts  of  the  country.  Rice  is 
important  in  the  southern  and  southwestern  districts.  The 
North  Central  States,  owing  to  favorable  location,  have  the 
largest  cereal  acreage  of  any  section  of  the  United  States. 
Within  recent  years  the  acreage  in  corn  has  increased  in 


Our  Agricultural  Areas 


83 


the  South  until  now  two-fifths  of  the  corn  acreage  is  located 
in  this  region. 

The  great  agricultural  areas  of  our  country  will  be 
found  where  the  rainfall  is  at  least  twenty  inches  a year. 
Wherever  the  rainfall  is  less  than  this,  either  irrigation  or 
dry  farming  must  be  practiced.  The  great  transcontinental 
railroads  have  opened  up  the  farming  areas  of  the  Middle 
West  and  made  communication  easy  between  the  farms  and 
the  eastern  markets.  If  farming  lands  are  too  arid  for  the 
production  of  crops,  extensive  irrigation  plants  are  erected 
to  supply  water.  Whenever  irrigation  is  impossible,  the 
farmers  practice  what  is  called  dry  farming.  Dry  farming 
is  the  process  of  conserving  rainfall  in  order  to  raise  a 


84 


Our  Country 


single  crop.  Sometimes  the  rainfall  of  two  or  three  years 
is  used  for  the  production  of  one  crop. 

The  method  employed  is  the  frequent  cultivation  of  the 
surface  soil,  which  keeps  the  top  layer  well  pulverized  and 
prevents  the  soil  moisture  from  evaporating  into  the  air. 
The  introduction  of  those  crops  that  require  the  least  moist- 
ure has  also  been  an  important  factor  in  developing  agri- 
culture in  the  arid  portions  of  the  West. 

The  factors  necessary  for  the  successful  growing  of  corn 
are  the  proper  soil,  sufficient  rainfall,  abundant  sunshine 
and  the  right  temperature.  These  factors  are  absolutely 
necessary  if  this  cereal  is  to  be  grown  profitably.  Tem- 
perature limits  the  corn  producing  areas  to  certain  sections 
of  the  world.  The  presence  or  absence  of  rain  influences  the 
yield  per  acre.  The  most  favorable  conditions  for  the 
growth  of  corn  are  occasional  rains,  with  intervening  sun- 
shine. The  best  soil  is  that  which  can  be  easily  drained. 

The  great  corn  area  of  our  country  is  located  in  the 
upper  Mississippi  Valley.  This  area  lies  south  of  the  Great 
Lakes  and  contains  an  exceedingly  rich  soil,  easily  culti- 
vated and  well. adapted  to  corn  growing.  Very  little  fer- 
tilizer is  necessary  to  enrich  the  land  and  the  rainfall  is  gen- 
erally sufficient  for  all  growing  purposes.  Much  of  the  rain 
that  reaches  this  section  of  our  country  is  brought  by  the 
cyclonic  winds  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  This  corn  area  is 
not  so  far  north  that  it  has  very  cold  winds  nor  so  far  south 


Our  Agricultural  Areas 


85 


that  it  comes  within  the  influence  of  a subtropical  climate. 
Corn  demands  a long,  warm  growing  season,  and  the  inte- 
rior states,  with  Ohio  on  the  east  and  Nebraska  on  the  west, 
offer  almost  ideal  conditions  for  the  growth  of  this  cereal. 

Aside  from  its  natural  advantages  of  soil  and  climate, 
this  area  is  well  located  for  easy  communication  with  the 
other  parts  of  the  country.  By  means  of  its  water  routes 
and  its  large  railroads,  all  the  markets  of  the  East  and 
West  are  within  easy  access.  The  topography  of  the  coun- 
try is  either  level  or  slightly  rolling  and  large  farms  can  be 
cultivated  without  much  labor  and  with  little  expense.  The 
five  leading  states  in  the  production  of  corn  are  Illinois, 
Iowa,  Indiana,  Missouri  and  Nebraska.  While  this  region 
is  the  great  corn  producing  section  of  the  United  States, 
crops  of  this  cereal  are  cultivated  in  most  of  the  other  states 
of  the  union.  The  Plateau  region,  the  Pacific  States  and  the 
New  England  region  have  the  smallest  corn  acreage  of  any 
sections  of  our  country.  All  the  South  Atlantic  and  Gulf 
states  have  greatly  increased  their  production  of  corn  dur- 
ing the  last  decade. 

Both  the  northern  and  southern  hemispheres  produce 
wheat.  The  wheat  area  of  the  United  States  has  decreased 
somewhat  during  the  last  ten  years,  but  the  production 
of  wheat  was  greater  in  1909  than  it  was  in  1899.  The 
wheat  area  is  located  in  the  north  central  part  of  the  coun- 
try, the  states  producing  the  largest  yields  being  North 


86 


Our  Country 


Dakota,  Kansas,  Minnesota,  Nebraska  and  South  Dakota. 
These  states  all  lie  west  of  the  Mississippi  and  are  parts 
of  the  Lake  Plains  and  Great  Plains  of  the  West.  North 
Dakota,  the  leading  state  in  wheat  acreage,  lies  within  the 
valley  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant wheat  sections  in  the  whole  world.  One  of  the  great 
wheat  areas  of  North  America  is  just  north  of  the  United 
States  in  Canada.  The  Manitoba  wheat  fields  produce  the 
largest  yields  of  any  wheat  fields  on  the  continent.  Cali- 
fornia on  the  Pacific  coast  is  also  a good  wheat  state.  Wash- 
ington in  the  northwestern  corner  of  our  country  has  re- 
cently forged  ahead  in  the  production  of  this  food  product. 

The  best  oats  are  grown  under  cooler  climatic  conditions 
than  either  corn  or  wheat  demand.  This  grain  also  needs 
considerable  moisture  in  order  to  mature  well.  Owing  to  its 
favorable  geographic  location,  Europe  produces  the  largest 
oat  yield  of  any  of  the  continents.  The  cool  climate  of  the 
northern  sections  of  that  continent,  together  with  the  moist 
climate  it  enjoys,  makes  Europe  almost  an  ideal  place  for 
the  growing  of  oats.  The  production  of  this  cereal  nearly 
doubled  in  our  country  between  the  years  1879  and  1889. 
Since  the  latter  date,  the  increase  in  production  has  been 
much  less.  All  the  states  of  the  Middle  North  are  good  oat 
producing  states.  The  New  England  States  on  the  north- 
east and  the  Plateau  States  on  the  northwest  produce  some 
oats,  but  not  enough  for  home  consumption. 


Our  Agricultural  Areas 


87 


In  the  order  named,  Iowa,  Illinois,  Minnesota,  Nebraska 
and  Wisconsin  have  the  largest  acreage  in  oats  of  any  states 
in  the  union;  while  Illinois,  Iowa,  Minnesota,  Wisconsin  and 
North  Dakota  produce  the  greatest  number  of  bushels  of 
this  crop.  The  climatic  and  soil  conditions  of  these  states 
are  excellent  for  the  growing  of  this  grain.  The  increase  in 
acreage  of  this  crop  has  taken  place  in  every  state  of  the 
section  west  of  the  Mississippi  and  also  in  every  state  of  the 
northeast  part  of  the  central  division.  In  the  other  sections 
a decrease  has  been  noted.  The  only  southern  state  that 
shows  an  increase  is  South  Carolina. 

The  barley  yield  per  acre  is  highest  in  the  Plateau 
division.  The  largest  yields  for  states  as  a whole  come 
from  Minnesota,  California,  North  Dakota,  South  Dakota 
and  Wisconsin.  Barley  is  not  a very  important  cereal  crop 
with  us  and  our  farmers  have  never  been  able  to  compete 
with  the  European  farmers  in  raising  it. 

Rye  is  a northern  crop.  It  demands  a cooler  growing 
season  than  is  to  be  found  in  the  southern  states.  During 
the  last  ten  years  the  production  of  rye  has  increased  con- 
siderably in  the  mountain  division  and  in  the  central  di- 
vision of  the  country,  but  the  crop  production  has  decreased 
in  other  parts  of  the  United  States.  Michigan,  Wisconsin, 
Minnesota,  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  are  the  leading  rye 
producing  states  of  the  union.  No  states  lying  south  of  the 
Ohio  River  rank  as  rye  producing  states. 


88 


Our  Country 


Rice  is  a crop  that  grows  well  in  a warm  climate  where 
there  is  plenty  of  moisture.  In  the  lowlands  of  our  South- 
ern States,  along  the  Gulf  and  Atlantic  coasts,  the  crop 
thrives  well  and  large  areas  are  given  up  to  its  production. 
South  Carolina  on  the  Atlantic  coast  and  Louisiana  and 
Texas  on  the  Gulf  coast  are  our  great  rice  producing  states. 
Louisiana  ranks  first  in  the  acreage  devoted  to  this  crop, 
Texas  second,  Arkansas  third  and  South  Carolina  fourth. 
In  the  total  number  of  bushels  produced  the  order  of  the 
states  is  the  same.  The  Southern  States  bordering  the  At- 
lantic Ocean  produce  less  rice  now  than  they  did  ten  years 
ago.  Two  of  the  Gulf  States,  Alabama  and  Mississippi,  also 
show  a decrease  during  the  last  decade.  The  change  in 
location  of  the  center  of  rice  production  has  been  caused 
by  the  use  of  the  delta  land  about  the  Mississippi  River  and 
along  the  coast  of  Texas. 

The  term  hay  includes  numerous  crops  used  for  the 
feeding  of  animals.  Most  of  the  hay  that  is  raised  in  this 
country  is  either  grass  or  some  leguminous  crop.  Of  the 
legumes,  clover  and  vetch  are  the  best  known  and  the  most 
widely  used.  Alfalfa  is  a leguminous  crop  that  is  coming 
into  general  use  for  hay.  The  term  forage  includes  all  ani- 
mal foods,  such  as  hay,  straw,  grass  and  roots.  In  general, 
the  term  applies  to  a plant  that  is  fed  green.  If  oats  were 
cut  and  fed  to  animals  when  the  plant  is  green,  it  would  be 
termed  a forage  crop;  if  it  is  allowed  to  ripen  and  is  then 


Our  Agricultural  Areas 


89 


used  for  food,  it  is  called  a cereal  crop.  During  the  last  ten 
years  there  has  been  an  increase  of  about  twenty-three  per 
cent  in  the  amount  of  hay  and  forage  raised  in  this  country. 
The  hay  crop  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  crops  of  our  coun- 
try. Its  value  is  about  fifteen  per  cent  of  the  value  of  all 
crops.  The  only  two  crops  that  are  more  important  than 
hay  are  corn  and  cotton.  Timothy  and  clover  mixed,  form 
the  most  valuable  hay  crop  we  raise.  The  great  hay 
area  of  our  country  occupies  much  the  same  territory  as 
the  corn  area,  except  that  it  extends  a little  farther  east. 
All  states  raise  some  hay,  but  the  five  leading  hay  producing 
states  are  Iowa,  New  York,  Nebraska,  Kansas  and  Minne- 
sota. The  arid  sections  of  our  country  do  not  produce  much 
hay. 

The  Southern  States  are  rapidly  advancing  in  the  value 
of  the-  hay  products  raised  within  their  boundaries.  In 
the  North,  hay  that  is  to  be  used  on  the  farm  is  generally 
stored  in  barns  or  silos,  and  is  fed  to  the  cattle  whenever 
needed.  In  many  parts  of  the  country  the  stubble  in  the 
field  is  used  for  grazing  purposes  after  the  hay  is  cut. 

The  value  of  the  hay  crop  varies  considerably  on  ac- 
count of  the  cost  of  transportation.  This  is  a crop  that  can 
always  be  sold  and  is  not  a difficult  one  to  raise.  Much  of 
the  hay  that  comes  from  the  northwest  part  of  the  central 
division  of  the  country  is  composed  of  prairie  grasses,  while 
that  which  comes  from  the  Pacific  sections  consists  of 


90 


Our  Country 


grasses  that  have  been  cut  in  a green  state.  The  coarser 
kinds  of  forage  come  from  the  states  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River.  In  many  states  the  grasses  grown  in  the 
fields  are  used  for  pasturage.  On  the  slopes  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  many  sheep  are  pastured  on  the  grasses  that 
grow  there. 


OUR  MINING  AREAS 


Mining  is  one  of  the  most  important  industries  in  the 
United  States.  The  mineral  production  of  our  country  is 
valued  at  over  one  and  one-half  billion  dollars  yearly  and 
is  about  equal  in  value  to  the  mineral  products  of  all  the 
rest  of  the  world.  The  mine  products  of  the  United  States 
represent  about  one-tenth  of  the  value  of  all  other  products. 

Minerals  are  generally  divided  into  two  classes;  metal- 
lic and  non-metallic.  Metallic  minerals,  such  as  iron  and 
silver,  are  those  that  have  a luster;  non-metallic  minerals, 
such  as  coal,  have  no  luster.  The  production  of  coal  and 
iron  amounts  to  more  than  one-half  the  total  value  of  all  our 
mineral  products. 

The  five  most  important  metallic  products  are  iron,  cop- 
per, gold,  silver  and  lead.  Our  country  produces  about  one- 
third  of  all  the  iron  mined  in  the  world.  The  next  most 
important  iron  producing  country  is  Great  Britain.  Iron 
is  found  in  all  sections  of  our  country,  though  not  in  suffi- 
cient quantities  in  all  places  to  make  mining  profitable. 
Minnesota,  Michigan  and  Alabama  are  three  of  the  largest 
iron  producing  states.  The  mines  in  Minnesota  and  Wis- 
consin Me  along  the  border  of  Lake  Superior.  Both  these 
states  have  very  valuable  iron  deposits.  The  most  noted 
iron  area  in  this  part  of  our  country  is  known  as  the  Mesaba 
district.  At  this  place  the  iron  ore  is  dug  out  of  the  sur- 


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(Courtesy  U.  S.  Department  of  Commerce.) 


Our  Mining  Areas 


93 


face  soil  with  large  steam  shovels  and  loaded  directly  on 
cars  which  carry  it  to  the  cities  on  Lake  Superior  for  trans- 
portation to  eastern  manufacturing  plants.  Most  of  the 
iron  mined  in  this  area  is  taken  to  Pittsburg,  Chicago  and 
Cleveland  to  be  manufactured  into  marketable  products. 

When  iron  is  dug  from  the  ground  it  is  generally  found 
mixed  with  other  elements,  such  as  sulphur  and  phosphate. 
These  mixtures  are  called  ores.  Iron  to  be  used  for  manu- 
facturing purposes  must  be  separated  from  other  sub- 
stances. To  make  this  separation,  the  ore  is  taken  to  large 
furnaces,  where  it  is  heated  very  hot.  When  the  ore  is 
melted,  the  liquid  runs  off  into  molds  and  cools  in  the  form 
of  pig  iron.  This  pig  iron  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
steel  and  other  forms  of  commercial  iron.  The  ore  found  in 
the  Mesaba  region  is  free  from  impurities  and  therefore 
easily  manufactured  into  pig  iron.  The  city  of  Duluth  on 
Lake  Superior  is  the  port  through  which  most  of  this  iron 
ore  is  shipped  to  the  eastern  markets. 

The  iron  fields  of  Alabama  are  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  that  state,  and  are  very  valuable.  They  lie  along  the 
ridges  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  and  are  close  to  the 
coal  fields.  The  presence  of  coal  and  iron  in  the  same  area 
makes  iron  manufacturing  especially  profitable.  Limestone, 
which  is  also  used  in  the  melting  of  iron  ore,  is  abundant 
in  this  region. 

Iron  ore  is  found  in  the  states  of  New  York  and  Penn- 
sylvania. The  deposits  are  not  so  extensive  as  in  the  other 


94 


Our  Country 


states  mentioned,  but  some  iron  is  mined  and  manufactured. 
On  account  of  the  fact  that  many  iron  smelters  are  located 
in  northern  Ohio  and  western  Pennsylvania,  the  lake  trans- 
portation of  iron  ore  is  heavy.  Thousands  of  vessels  pass 
annually  through  the  Great  Lakes  carrying  the  iron  ore  of 
the  western  areas  to  the  eastern  manufacturing  centers. 

The  production  of  copper  in  our  country  ranks  second 
in  importance  to  that  of  iron.  More  than  one-half  the 
world’s  copper  comes  from  the  United  States.  Most  of  the 
important  copper  mines  are  located  in  the  West.  Montana 
in  the  northwestern  part  of  our  country  produces  almost 
forty-five  per  cent  of  the  copper  mined.  Michigan  ranks 
second  as  a copper  producing  state,  and  Arizona  third.  The 
Anaconda  mines  in  Montana  are  the  most  important  cop- 
per mines  in  the  world.  The  mines  of  Michigan  produce  an 
almost  pure  copper  that  is  easily  manufactured  into  com- 
mercial commodities.  The  most  noted  mine  in  the  Michigan 
district  is  the  Calumet  on  the  Keweenaw  Peninsula.  This 
peninsula  projects  from  the  northern  section  of  Michigan 
into  Lake  Superior.  A small  range  of  mountains  that  con- 
tains large  copper  deposits  occupies  this  area. 

The  United  States  is  one  of  the  important  gold  produc- 
ing countries  of  the  world.  In  1849  gold  was  discovered 
in  California  and  immediately  many  people  from  the  East 
flocked  into  that  state.  Today  the  states  of  California  and 
Colorado  produce  most  of  the  gold  we  use.  In  the  early 
days  of  the  gold  fever  many  towns  and  settlements  were 


Our  Mining  Areas 


95 


established  in  the  mountains  of  eastern  California.  Gold 
is  found  in  most  of  the  states  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  High- 
lands and  in  some  of  the  states  along  the  south  Atlantic 
coast.  The  deposits  found  in  these  Atlantic  States  are  not 
important  or  commercially  valuable,  but  the  gold  deposits 
of  the  western  highlands  are  very  valuable.  Within  recent 
years,  large  gold  deposits  have  been  found  in  Alaska  and  in 
Canada.  With  the  further  development  of  Alaska,  gold 
will  probably  be  mined  more  extensively  there  than  at 
present. 

The  intrinsic  value  of  gold  has  made  it  a standard  for 
most  monetary  systems.  All  the  leading  countries  of  the 
world  have  their  currency  based  on  the  gold  standard,  but 
the  rareness  of  the  metal  prevents  its  very  general  use. 
Silver,  which  is  the  next  most  important  precious  metal, 
is  used  in  coining  most  of  our  money.  The  relationship 
between  the  values  of  silver  and  gold  establishes  the  in- 
trinsic value  of  our  coins.  The  United  States  produces 
about  one-third  of  the  silver  output  of  the  world.  Silver  is 
found  in  the  same  areas  in  which  gold  is  found.  The 
profitable  mining  of  silver  takes  place  in  all  of  the  states 
of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region.  In  the  order  of  their  rank, 
Colorado,  Montana,  Utah  and  Idaho  are  the  great  silver 
producing  states.  This  metal  is  mined  as  an  ore,  but  it 
comes  in  such  small  quantities  that  it  is  not  profitable  to 
transport  the  ores  a great  distance.  Most  of  the  smelting 
of  silver  is  done  at  the  mines.  After  the  first  smelting, 


96 


Our  Country 


the  resulting  material,  called  matte,  is  sometimes  trans- 
ported to  eastern  markets  for  further  smelting. 

In  comparison  with  the  other  countries  of  the  world, 
the  United  States  does  not  produce  as  much  lead  as  gold  and 
silver.  Lead  and  silver  come  from  the  same  area.  Most 
silver  bearing  ores  contain  a great  deal  of  lead,  so  that  lead 
is  often  an  important  by-product  of  the  silver  smelters.  In 
Missouri  and  Kansas,  and  in  the  western  districts  of  Wis- 
consin, lead  is  mined  without  reference  to  any  silver  de- 
posits. In  these  areas  and  in  a small  area  in  northwestern 
Illinois  lead  occurs  in  the  soil  as  lead  ore.  Colorado  and 
Idaho  of  the  western  states,  and  Missouri,  Kansas  and  Wis-  ■ 
consin  of  the  central  states,  are  the  great  lead  producing 
states  of  our  country. 

The  non-metallic  minerals  of  the  United  States  in  the 
order  of  their  importance  are  coal,  petroleum,  building 
stone  and  natural  gas.  There  are  many  other  non-metallic 
minerals,  such  as  the  clays,  gypsum,  sulphur,  etc.,  that  are 
important  commercial  products.  Coal  is  by  far  the  most 
important  non-metallic  mineral.  Its  value  is  second  only 
to  that  of  our  hay  crop.  Without  our  coal  products  very 
little  manufacturing  could  be  done.  The  coal  beds  of  our 
country  are  situated  in  four  sections.  The  first  is  located 
along  the  western  slope  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands.  The 
second  occupies  the  lowlands  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  and 
extends  into  the  state  of  Texas.  The  third  is  a small  area 
in  southern  Michigan  and  the  fourth  consists  of  scattered 


Our  Mining  Areas 


97 


areas  throughout  the  eastern  section  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain Highlands. 

The  coal  mined  in  our  country  consists  of  two  kinds,  the 
anthracite  and  the  bituminous.  The  first  is  known  as  hard 
coal  and  contains  fewer  impurities  than  the  bituminous. 
It  is  generally  found  in  the  mountainous  regions  where  the 
earth’s  crust  has  undergone  some  form  of  pressure.  Bitu- 
minous is  the  name  given  to  soft  coal.  It  is  more  easily 
mined  than  hard  coal  and  is  found  in  the  plateau  areas  and 
in  the  lower  level  lands.  Bituminous  coal  is  much  more  im- 
pure than  anthracite. 

The  principal  bituminous  coal  fields  are:  First,  the 

area  stretching  from  southwestern  New  York  to  northern 
Alabama  along  the  western  Appalachians;  second,  the  cen- 
tral coal  fields  located  in  the  states  of  Illinois,  Iowa  and 
Missouri ; third,  the  northern  area  found  in  Michigan ; 
fourth,  the  scattered  areas  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
fifth,  a few  isolated  areas  along  the  Pacific  coast.  About 
one-tenth  of  the  bituminous  coal  mined  is  made  into  coke. 
Pennsylvania  produces  more  than  half  of  our  coke  and  much 
of  it  is  consumed  in  the  production  of  iron  and  steel. 

The  mines  of  Alabama  produce  coal  which  is  used  in 
the  iron  and  steel  mills  of  that  state.  The  soft  coal 
of  the  Mississippi  Valley  is  transported  to  the  manufac- 
turing cities  of  the  Middle  West.  The  coal  areas  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  supply  the  iron  mills  of  that  region.  Soft 
coal  is  very  valuable  for  manufacturing  purposes  because  it 


98 


Our  Country 


is  cheaply  mined  and  because  it  will  ignite  easily.  The  ob- 
jections to  its  use  are  the  great  amount  of  smoke  and  the 
large  quantity  of  ashes  left  after  burning.  There  are  many 
impurities  in  this  coal,  but  on  account  of  cheapness  it  is 
generally  used  in  large  manufacturing  plants. 

The  anthracite  coal  fields  are  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania.  The  area  of  these  fields  is  not 
extensive,  but  the  deposits  found  beneath  the  surface  are 
very  large.  Small  deposits  of  hard  coal  are  also  found  in 
Colorado  and  New  Mexico.  Pennsylvania  furnishes  prac- 
tically all  the  marketable  product  of  this  kind  of  coal.  In 


spite  of  the  small  area  in  which  it  is  found,  anthracite  is  so 
much  more  abundant  in  this  state  than  the  bituminous  that 
the  total  output  is  almost  one-fourth  the  weight  of  all  the 
soft  coal  mined  throughout  the  country. 

Petroleum  is  an  oil  found  in  the  earth  and  is  valuable 
for  its  burning  properties.  It  may  be  used  for  lighting 
or  heating  and  is  obtained  by  boring  wells  and  tapping 
the  oil  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  This  oil  is 
generally  found  in  the  coal  regions.  There  are  two  areas 
in  the  world  noted  for  the  production  of  petroleum. 
One  is  located  in  .Russia  and  the  other  in  the  United  States. 
These  areas  produce  about  equal  amounts  of  this  mineral, 
but  the  product  found  in  the  United  States  is  purer  than 
that  found  in  Russia. 

The  largest  oil  fields  in  the  United  States  are  located 
in  the  East,  along  the  western  borders  of  the  Appalachian 


Our  Mining  Areas 


99 


Highlands.  Western  Pennsylvania,  West  Virginia  and  east- 
ern Ohio  have  extensive  oil  fields.  The  second  most  impor- 
tant field  is  situated  in  the  state  of  California  on  the  Pacific 
coast.  This  state  produced  in  1914  the  largest  amount  of 
petroleum  of  any  one  state  in  the  union.  In  Oklahoma  and 
in  southeastern  Texas  are  other  important  oil  fields.  An- 
other large  oil  producing  section  is  found  in  western  Ohio 
and  eastern  Indiana.  The  oil  in  this  region  is  pumped 
from  the  wells  directly  into  tanks  o<r  else  into  pipe  lines 
that  carry  the  product  to  the  refineries.  Sometimes  these 
pipe  lines  extend  for  miles  across  the  country  and  carry 
the  oil  from  the  wells  to  the  refining  plants  located  in  dis- 
tant cities. 

Building  stone  is  one  of  the  most  important  mineral 
products.  Stones  that  are  valuable  for  building  purposes 
are  found  in  most  of  our  states.  The  important  building 
stones  are  granite,  limestone,  sandstone,  slate  and  marble. 
All  of  these  are  quarried  from  the  surface  of  the  earth 
and  taken  to  manufacturing  plants  where  they  are  cut  and 
polished  before  being  used.  Granite  comes  from  a great 
many  different  parts  of  the  country,  but  the  amount  pro- 
duced by  Maine  and  New  Hampshire  is  larger  than  that 

from  any  other  section.  Limestone  comes  from  Pennsyl- 
vania and  the  states  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  Be- 
sides being  valuable  as  a building  stone,  it  is  used  as  a 

flux  in  the  smelting  of  iron.  Sandstone  is  found  in  the 

Ohio  Valley  and  in  the  states  of  Pennsylvania  and  Newr 


100 


Our  Country 


York.  The  Appalachian  Highlands  furnish  most  of  the 
slate  used.  Slate  is  cut  into  thin  slabs  and  used  for  roof- 
ing. Marble  is  found  in  the  eastern  section  of  the  United 
States.  It  is  quarried  in  Vermont  and  as  far  south  as  Geor- 
gia. Tennessee  and  Virginia  produce  an  excellent  quality 
of  the  stone. 

The  deposit  of  natural  gas  in  our  country  is  generally 
associated  with  the  petroleum  wells.  It  is  obtained  from 
the  ground  in  much  the  same  way  as  oil,  and  is  conveyed 
to  the  cities  by  means  of  pipes.  It  is  an  inexpensive  sub- 
stance for  heating  and  lighting  purposes.  In  the  states  of 
the  Middle  West,  many  cities  and  communities  use  it  ex- 
tensively for  cooking  and  lighting  in  their  homes. 


OUR  GREAT  FORESTS 

When  our  country  was  first  settled  most  of  the  land 
east  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  was  thickly  covered 
with  heavy  forests.  Along  the  Pacific  coast  were  large 
forest  areas  that  stretched  for  hundreds  of  miles  north 
and  south.  These  trees  were  evergreens,  such  as  the  pine, 
cedar  and  hemlock.  Upon  the  sides  of  the  mountains  grew 
magnificent  hardwood  forests.  In  the  East  the  varieties 
of  trees  were  much  greater  than  in  the  West.  The  pines 
were  found  in  all  sections  of  our  country,  while  different 
varieties  of  oaks  grew  from  Maine  to  Florida.  On  the  high- 
lands, chestnut  and  other  hardwood  trees  abounded. 

Trees  will  grow  in  regions  well  supplied  with  water. 
The  central  lowland  of  our  country  is  rolling  land,  stretch- 
ing eastward  from  the  Great  Plains  to  the  Appalachian 
Highlands.  Some  of  this  land  has  no  forest  areas  except 
along  the  streams.  This  region  lacks  tree  growth  and  is 
known  as  the  prairie  section.  Timber  belts  extend  across 
the  states  of  Iowa  and  Illinois. 

Along  the  border  of  the  Great  Lakes  is  an  area  rich  in 
chestnut,  walnut  and  beech  trees.  This  is  one  of  the  great 
productive  areas  of  our  forest  regions.  In  the  South  along 
the  Gulf  coast  and  in  the  South  Atlantic  States,  is  a section 
that  produces  the  long  leaf  pine.  This  tree  is  valuable  not 
only  for  its  lumber,  but  for  other  products  that  are  ob- 


102 


Our  Country 


tained  from  it.  Besides  these  pines,  many  subtropical  trees, 
such  as  the  magnolia,  tulip  and  sweet  gum,  grow  in  the 
lower  lands. 

The  Plateau  section  of  the  United  States  is  too  high 
and  arid  for  much  tree  growth.  The  mountains  are 
sometimes  forested  with  pines  that  flourish  as  far  up  as 
the  snow  line.  In  the  valleys  there  is  sufficient  moisture 
from  the  melting  snow  on  the  mountain  tops  to  supply 
the  needs  of  the  trees.  In  the  plateau  regions  between 
the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  east  and  the  Sierra  Nevadas 
on  the  west,  no  timber  is  found  except  upon  those  moun- 
tains that  rise  high  enough  to  get  sufficient  moisture.  The 
western  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas  receive  ample 
moisture  from  the  westerly  winds  of  the  Pacific  to  sup- 


Our  Great  Forests 


103 


port  the  growth  of  forests.  In  the  states  of  Oregon  and 
Washington,  the  Douglas  Firs  abound,  while  in  California 
there  are  Sequoias  or  Redwoods  of  enormous  size.  These 
trees  reach  a great  height  and  have  large  trunks.  The 
quality  of  the  wood  obtained  from  them  is  very  fine. 

When  the  settlers  first  came  to  this  country  they  were 
obliged  to  use  the  trees  that  they  found  here  for  the  build- 
ing of  their  homes.  Their  farms  were  established  on 
cleared  land,  and  much  of  the  timber  that  they  cut  down 
was  wasted.  Most  of  their  furniture  and  much  of  their 
farm  machinery  were  made  from  the  timber  which  they 
cut  in  the  forests.  Nearly  all  the  heat  for  their  homes 
was  obtained  by  burning  the  wood  that  was  cleared  off 
their  farms.  As  every  settler  had  all  the  wood  he  needed, 
there  was  no  market  for  this  commodity.  Frequently 
valuable  trees  were  burned  simply  to  get  them  out  of 
the  way. 

As  the  country  developed  and  settlements  were  made 
in  the  Middle  West,  there  arose  a demand  for  lumber. 
When  the  first  settlers  went  into  the  Ohio  Valley  they 
found  but  few  trees  and  were  obliged  to  send  east  into 
the  forest  areas  for  much  of  the  lumber  they  needed.  At 
the  time  these  settlements  were  being  made  the  trade 
between  the  different  parts  of  the  Atlantic  coast  was  being 
developed.  This  trade  was  carried  on  in  coastwise  ves- 
sels that  were  built  in  the  seaport  towns  of  the  East.  The 
building  of  these  vessels  required  large  quantities  of  lum- 


104 


Our  Country 


ber.  These  two  conditions,  the  ship  building  in  the  East 
and  the  settlements  in  the  Middle  West,  gave  a great  im- 
petus to  the  lumber  industry. 

With  the  progress  of  civilization  toward  the  Pacific 
coast,  thousands  of  towns  and  cities  were  established.  In 
every  county  and  state,  land  was  cleared  and  homes  erected. 
No  one  community  could  furnish  all  the  different  kinds 
of  lumber  needed  and  so  a demand  was  made  upon  the 
different  parts  of  the  country  for  the  soft  or  hard  woods 
needed  for  manufacturing  purposes.  With  the  erection 
of  mills  and  industrial  plants,  there  came  a still  greater 
demand  for  lumber.  As  railroads  were  built,  millions  of 
cross-ties  were  needed  for  their  construction.  With  the 
introduction  of  the  telegraph,  came  another  demand  for 
large  poles  on  which  telegraph  wires  were  strung  from  city 
to  city. 

At  first  forests  were  a hindrance  to  progress,  as  they 
impeded  the  work  of  clearing  the  land.  Frequently  land 
owners  would  give  the  trees  without  cost  to  whoever 
would  remove  them.  Now  the  country  has  made  such  de- 
mands on  our  forests  that  there  is  some  danger  of  an 
actual  shortage  m timber.  Certain  sections  of  the  United 
States  have  been  so  thoroughly  stripped  of  timber  that  this 
shortage  has  become  serious.  There  are  still  some  states 
that  produce  vast  quantities  of  lumber.  Such  states  as 
Montana,  Washington,  Oregon,  California,  Alabama,  Arkan- 
sas, Mississippi  and  Wisconsin  produce  thousands  and  thou- 


Our  Great  Forests 


105 


sands  of  feet  annually  from  the  wealth  of  their  forests. 
But  even  these  states  will  some  day  deplete  their  forests, 
for  vessels  and  trains  are  carrying  their  lumber  products  to 
the  markets  of  the  world. 

The  change  from  an  abundance  of  wood  to  a scarcity 
has  come  so  slowly  that  few  of  us  have  realized  how  ex- 
tensively our  forests  have  been  cut.  Within  the  last 
few  years  this  condition  has  been  brought  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  American  people  and  our  government  is  doing 
everything  in  its  power  to  protect  the  remaining  forest 
trees.  One  of  the  greatest  losses  that  we  have  experienced  in 
forestry  has  been  due  to  wasteful  methods  of  cutting.  The 
forests  were  so  abundant  that  those  who  had  the  cutting 
of  them  simply  went  in  and  took  what  they  wanted 
without  regard  to  any  future  growth.  The  cutting  in 
many  cases  was  absolutely  wasteful.  Valuable  trees  were 
felled  and  left  to  rot  upon  the  ground.  There  was  such 
an  abundance,  people  could  not  realize  that  some  day  we 
would  run  short  of  timber.  Our  forests  should  be  cut 
with  the  greatest  care  and  every  effort  should  be  made 
to  encourage  new  growths  so  that  future  generations  may 
derive  as  much  benefit  from  the  trees  as  others  have  de- 
rived in  the  past. 

There  were  about  850,000,000  acres  of  original  forest 
land  in  this  country.  Almost  one-half  of  this  has  now 
been  cut.  Many  acres  of  the  original  forest  area  have 
i been  cut  more  than  once.  Besides  the  cutting,  extensive 


106 


Our  Country 


fires  have  devastated  much  of  our  forests.  Sometime 
these  fires  sweep  over  a considerable  portion  of  a stab 
wiping  out  thousands  and  thousands  of  trees  and  leavin 
the  land  in  such  condition  that  new  tree  growth  does  nc 
start  readily.  If  the  cutting  of  timber  in  our  country  cor 
tinues  during  the  next  few  years  at  the  same  rate  tha 
it  has  in  the  past,  and  forest  fires  are  not  checked,  ou 
forests  will  disappear  in  about  sixteen  or  twenty  years 
This  statement  does  not  make  an  allowance  for  any  ner 
growth,  and  new  growth  is  the  most  favorable  factor  i 
the  renewing  of  our  forested  areas.  The  United  State 
Government  is  doing  everything  possible  to  encourage  th 
planting  of  new  trees  where  the  old  trees  have  been  cu 
off.  This  new  planting  must  be  done  by  patriotic  citizen 
because  very  few  industrial  corporations  have  any  interes 
beyond  the  mere  obtaining  of  the  products  that  they  ar 
after. 

The  complete  destruction  of  our  forests  would  be  ver; 
serious  to  our  country.  Forests  have  a marked  effect  upoi 
climatic  conditions.  Areas  that  have  been  cut  off  alway 
experience  greater  extremes  of  heat  and  cold.  Forests  re 
quire  a great ‘deal  of  moisture  for  their  growth.  They  tak 
this  moisture  from  the  soil  instead  of  allowing  it  to  pas; 
off  through  our  rivers.  If  the  forests  at  the  sources  of  th' 
large  rivers  of  our  country  should  be  entirely  cut  off,  heav? 
floods  would  occur  in  the  lower  river  valleys. 

Extensive  destruction  of  forests  would  also  mean  ; 


Our  Great  Forests 


107 


scarcity  of  water  for  drinking  purposes.  China  is  ex- 
periencing today  serious  trouble  from  this  condition.  The 
soil  in  that  country  washes  very  badly  and  the  rivers  do  not 
offer  a good  supply  of  water  all  the  year  round. 

With  the  decrease  in  our  supply  of  lumber,  there  came 
a corresponding  increase  in  price  of  many  articles  of  fur- 
niture that  we  use  in  our  homes.  As  lumber  becomes  scarce 
its  cost  increases  and  we  are  paying  more  today  for  the 
lumber  we  use  to  build  houses  than  our  forefathers  paid  a 
hundred  years  ago. 

There  are  several  ways  whereby  we  can  preserve  our 
forests.  Every  one  who  has  the  good  of  our  country  in 
mind  should  learn  all  that  is  possible  about  the  preservation 
of  this  valuable  resource.  First  of  all,  we  should  be  most 
careful  in  the  use  of  our  trees.  There  should  be  as  little 
waste  as  possible  both  in  the  cutting  of  the  tree  and  in  the 
use  of  the  wood  for  manufacturing  purposes.  Every  effort 
should  be  made  to  guard  against  destructive  forest  fires 
which  occur  every  year.  Most  of  these  are  due  to  careless- 
ness of  hunters  and  lumbermen  who  leave  smouldering 
fires  in  the  forested  areas  that  easily  ignite  the  surround- 
ing trees.  Whenever  the  season  is  especially  dry  the  dan- 
ger from  forest  fires  is  much  greater. 

Another  cause  of  loss  in  our  forests  is  the  depredation 
of  insects.  These  are  sometimes  hard  to  exterminate.  A 
^knowledge  of  insect  life  and  of  the  individual  insect  that  is 
attacking  the  tree  is  absolutely  essential  to  prevent  these 


108 


Our  Country 


depredations.  Sometimes  the  insect  may  be  destroyed  b\ 
spraying  the  tree;  at  other  times  the  tree  itself  has  to  b< 
cut  down  and  burned. 


Wherever  it  is  possible  to  use  some  substance  for  wooc 
that  is  not  more  expensive,  such  a substitute  should  b< 
used.  Within  recent  years  many  substitutes  have  been  in 
vented  that  do  as  well  as  wood  and  are  cheaper  in  con 
struction.  Articles  made  of  specially  prepared  paper  ar< 
sometimes  used  in  place  of  the  wood  itself  and  have  provei 
both  cheap  and  durable.  For  many  years  we  shingled  oui 
houses  with  cypress  and  pine  shingles,  but  today  shingles 
are  often  made  of  paper  that  are  just  as  valuable  and  last 
ing  as  the  wooden  shingles.  There  are  many  things,  how 
ever,  that  cannot  be  made  of  anything  but  wood  and  thest 
will  always  make  demands  upon  our  forests. 

Another  important  way  to  preserve  our  forests  foi 
future  use  is  to  plant  new  trees  wherever  the  old  ones 
have  been  cut  down,  unless  the  land  is  to  be  cultivated  foi 
the  production  of  crops.  Every  tree  planted  means  jusl 
so  much  more  comfort  and  pleasure  to  those  who  are  t( 
follow  us.  We  should  endeavor  to  plant  trees  wherevei 
the  land  is  not  fitted  for  agricultural  purposes  and  when 
the  trees  will  grow  naturally.  It  would  be  an  almost  idea! 
condition  if  all  of  the  areas  of  our  country,  except  our 
farming  and  manufacturing  areas,  were  covered  with  trees 

The  great  lumber  regions  are  located  in  five  groups. 
The  first  of  these  lies  along  the  Great  Lakes  and  is  known 


Our  Great  Forests 


109 


as  the  Lake  Region.  This  forest  area  includes  the  states 
af  Michigan,  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota.  It  produces  spruce 
and  white  pine.  The  second  area  is  known  as  the  Southern 
Region  and  is  noted  for  the  hard  woods  found  in  the  moun- 
tainous sections  and  for  the  soft  woods  of  the  coastal  plain 
areas.  The  latter  region  also  produces  the  yellow  pine, 
while  large  forests  of  cypress  grow  along  the  coast.  These 
a southern  forests  occupy  the  largest  region  of  any  of  our 
forest  sections.  The  third  region,  known  as  the  North- 
east Region,  includes  New  England  and  northern  New 
York.  Here  the  spruce,  birch,  maple,  hemlock  and  the 
white  pine  are  found.  Oak  and  hickory  are  also  charac- 
teristic trees  of  the  southern  part  of  this  section.  The 
fourth  area  is  known  as  the  Rocky  Mountain  Region  and 

I consists  of  a few  scattered  sections  that  produce  yellow 
pine  and  spruce  trees.  The  fifth  area  is  along  the  Pacific 
coast,  stretching  from  Puget  Sound  to  southern  Califor- 
nia. This  is  known  as  the  Pacific  Region.  In  the  north  of 
this  area,  red  fir  and  spruce  trees  abound.  The  yellow 
pine  and  redwood  are  found  in  California.  The  forests  of 
this  region  are  the  densest  of  any  in  our  country. 


WHERE  CORN  IS  GROWN 


The  most  important  cereal  that  is  raised  in  this  country 
is  corn  or  maize.  This  grain  is  a native  of  the  North! 
American  continent  and  was  not  introduced  into  Europe ; 
until  the  white  man  had  settled  here.  Soon  after  the  dis- 
covery of  this  continent  the  plant  was  taken  to  Spain.  The 
maize  plant  is  known  by  a great  number  of  names,  due 
largely  to  the  fact  that  there  are  several  varieties  of  the 
grain  that  differ  in  many  respects.  There  are  some  three 
hundred  varieties  of  corn,  due  to  cross  breeding  and  care- 
ful selection  of  seed.  These  varieties  also  show  a difference 
in  chemical  composition,  some  containing  a great  deal  of 
oil  while  others  contain  much  starch. 

Maize  is  used  as  a food  for  both  man  and  beast,  and  fur- 
nishes by  far  the  greatest  proportion  of  the  world’s  food 
product.  The  stalk  and  leaves  of  the  plant  are  used  for 
fodder.  The  kernels  on  the  ear  are  either  fed  directly  to 
stock  or  are  ground  up  into  meal.  There  are  also  many 
valuable  by-pr.oducts  derived  from  the  plant.  Partly  be- 
cause so  much  of  the  plant  is  used  at  home  for  feeding  pur- 
poses, less  corn  than  wheat  is  exported.  The  price  of  corn 
is  lower  in  comparison  to  its  weight  than  that  of  wheat; 
therefore,  the  cost  of  transportation  is  an  important  item 
in  the  price  of  the  grain  in  the  markets  of  the  world.  It 


112 


Our  Country 


is  more  profitable  to  feed  the  corn  to  hogs  and  cattle  an< 
then  export  the  meat  than  it  is  to  export  the  corn  in  bulk 
Maize  probably  originated  in  the  warm  subtropica 
plateaus  of  Mexico  and  South  America.  It  was  the  onl; 
grain  planted  and  used  by  the  American  Indians,  and  wa 
well  adapted  to  the  simple  cultivation  which  those  peopl 
gave  it.  The  factors  that  control  the  successful  growing 
of  corn  are  proper  soil  conditions,  sufficient  rainfall,  plent; 
of  sunshine  during  the  growing  season  and  the  right  tem 
perature.  This  is  shown  by  the  limitation  of  the  corn  belt 
Corn  cannot  be  grown  successfully  far  north.  Th 
amount  of  rainfall  that  the  crop  receives  during  the  growinj 
season  will  determine  to  a great  extent  the  yield  of  grain  pe 
acre.  The  most  favorable  conditions  for  the  growth  of  con 
are  sufficient  moisture  followed  by  sunshine.  The  best  soil 
is  one  that  does  not  cake  and  is  easily  drained.  On  accoun 
of  the  lack  of  sunshine,  corn  is  not  grown  successfully  iij 
the  British  Islands.  The  weather  in  that  country  is  to< 
foggy  and  too  cool  to  permit  the  proper  growth  of  thi 
plant.  On  account  of  these  climatic  conditions,  Englani 
imports  a great  deal  of  corn  from  her  colonies  and  from  us 
In  some  parts  of  Southern  Europe  and  in  South  Americ; 
good  crops  of  corn  are  raised. 

The  great  corn  region  of  the  United  States  lies  eas 
of  the  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands.  In  this  section  of  thi 
country  the  rainfall  is  sufficient  for  the  crop  and  the  grow 


Where  Corn  is  Grown 


113 


ing  seasons  are  long  enough  for  the  plant  to  mature  fully. 
In  the  area  along  Lake  Superior  and  in  the  two  Dakotas 
very  little  corn  is  grown,  the  region  being  too  far  north 
for  good  production.  The  northern  parts  of  the  New  Eng- 
land States  and  New  York  also  produce  very  little  of  this 
cereal.  Throughout  the  rest  of  the  eastern  section,  with 
the  exception  of  the  extreme  south,  large  corn  yields  are 
obtained.  The  great  corn  states  of  this  area  are  Illinois, 
Iowa,  Nebraska,  Mississippi  and  Kansas.  A very  small 
proportion  of  the  entire  crop  raised  in  this  section  is  ex- 
ported. Most  of  it  is  used  for  home  consumption,  and,  in 
some  sections  of  the  country,  forms  the  staple  grain  from 
which  bread  is  made. 

The  largest  part  of  the  corn  area  is  located  in  the  great 
Mississippi  Valley.  Here  the  land  is  well  drained,  very 
fertile  and  easily  cultivated.  Many  of  the  farms  found  in 
this  section  are  large,  and,  because  they  are  also  very  level, 
the  cultivation  of  the  growing  crop  is  comparatively  inex- 
pensive. So  large  are  some  of  the  corn  farms  in  the  middle 
areas  of  our  country  that  most  of  the  work  is  done  by 
machinery.  Large  traction  plows  are  pulled  by  gasoline 
engines  that  open  through  the  soil  as  many  as  fifteen  or 
twenty  furrows  at  a time.  Because  the  land  is  so  level 
and  there  are  very  few  stones  in  the  soil,  these  large  ma- 
chines are  the  cheapest  for  cultivating  the  land. 

The  planting  is  usually  done  by  machinery,  very  lit- 


114 


Our  Country 


tie  being  planted  by  hand.  When  corn  has  matured  and 
is1  ready  for  cutting,  large  machines,  run  by  steam  or  gaso- 
line, go  into  the  fields  and  quickly  cut  the  corn.  Sometimes 
the  whole  corn  plant  is  cut  and  taken  to  other  machines, 
called  shredders,  that  cut  it  up  into  small  pieces.  Then  it 
is  stored  in  air-tight  silos,  and  later  fed  to  the  stock 
on  the  farms.  The  corn  is  shelled  from  the  cob  and  sent 
directly  to  the  mills  to  be  ground  into  meal. 

The  corn  crop  of  our  country  is  the  most  valuable  crop 
we  raise.  It  represents  mors  actual  money  than  all  our 
gold,  silver  and  lead  mines.  It  sometimes  brings  twice  as 
much  as  our  wheat  crop.  If  we  count  the  value  of  the 
cattle  and  hogs  as  a^  part  of  the  corn  production  of  our 
country,  the  income  which  farmers  derive  from  this  one 
grain  is  enormous. 

Throughout  the  section  in  which  com  is  raised  are 
many  large  cities  that  have  mills  to  convert  the  corn  into 
meal.  Sometimes  the  corn  is  stored  in  large  elevators  or 
warehouses  until  it  is  time  to  grind  it.  The  city  of  Chicago 
is  one  of  the  great  corn  distributing  centers  of  the  Middle 
West.  St.  Louis,  Kansas  City  and  Omaha  also  deal  in  this 
product.  Wherever  corn  is  raised,  hogs  abound  and  the 
great  corn  area  is  also  our  great  hog-growing  area.  Cities 
which  are  large  corn  distributing  centers  also  have  impor- 
tant packing  houses.  These  houses  take  the  hogs  and  cattle 
directly  from  the  farms,  kill  them  and  prepare  their  meat 


Where  Corn  is  Grown 


115 


A CORN  FIELD 

(Courtesy  Geog-.  of  Ga.,  A.  B.  Co.) 


to  sell  to  the  markets  in  this  country  and  Europe.  Corn 
fed  hogs  make  the  best  flavored  meat.  On  some  farms, 
hogs  are  allowed  to  run  more  or  less  wild  and  to  eat  many 
kinds  of  food.  These  hogs  are  generally  poorer  and  their 
meat  is  not  so  well  flavored  as  when  they  are  fed  almost 
entirely  upon  corn.  The  hog  meat  product  that  comes  from 
the  corn  section  of  our  country  is  often  included  in  the  value 
of  our  corn  crop,  because  corn  has  really  gone  into  the 
making  of  the  meat. 

Owing  to  the  enormous  production  of  this  cereal  crop, 
many  lines  of  railroads  have  been  built  to  take  care  of 
its  transportation.  During  the  crop  gathering  season 


116 


Our  Country 


many  thousands  of  freight  cars  go  to  the  com  belt  to 
move  this  product  to  the  centers  that  want  it.  A great 
deal  of  money  is  required  to  pay  the  expenses  of  moving 
this  crop  and  the  banks  throughout  the  Middle  West  make 
arrangements  to  lend  money  to  the  farmers  during  the  corn 
moving  season.  This  cereal  crop  is  as  important  to  this 
section  of  the  country  as  the  cotton  crop  is  to  the  Southern 
States.  Many  farmers  in  the  Middle  West  grow  nothing 
but  corn,  as  many  farmers  in  the  South  grow  nothing  but 
cotton.  Sometimes  when  the  corn  crop  is  larger  than  usual, 
it  is  impossible  to  get  cars  enough  to  move  it.  A few  years 
ago  the  corn  crop  of  Kansas  was  so  great  and  the  price  so 
low  that  the  expense  of  moving  it  was  more  than  the  corn 
would  bring  in  the  market.  During  the  winter  that  fol- 
lowed, many  farmers  in  that  state  burned  corn  to  heat  their 
houses  and  to  cook  their  meals.  This  seems  to  be  an  almost 
wasteful  extravagance,  but  we  must  remember  that  that 
section  of  our  country  was  overstocked  with  the  cereal  and 
could  not  sell  it.  For  that  reason  corn  was  really  cheaper 
to  burn  than  wood  or  coal. 

Nearly  every  farm  in  the  eastern  part  of  our  country 
raises  some  corn,  although  in  many  places  the  com  produc- 
tion is  so  small  that  it  is  not  very  valuable.  All  states  use 
corn  as  an  article  of  food,  and  every  state  should  produce  as 
much  corn  per  acre  as  it  is  possible  to  raise.  Within  recent 
years  a great  deal  of  time  and  attention  have  been  given  to 
the  Boys’  Corn  Club  movement.  The  idea  of  encouraging 


Where  Corn  is  Grown 


117 


young  boys  to  grow  more  and  better  corn  originated  with 
the  National  Government.  Through  the  agricultural  col- 
leges in  the  various  states,  much  interest  has  been  awak- 
ened in  the  growing  of  better  corn  crops.  Prizes  were  of- 
fered and  individual  competition  started.  It  was  not  long 
before  the  boys  took  an-  interest  in  the  matter  and  were 
raising  much  more  corn  per  acre  than  their  fathers  were. 
In  some  states  the  average  yield  has  been  materially  in- 
creased by  the  efforts  of  these  young  farmers. 

Besides  encouraging  the  cultivation  and  growing  of 
this  cereal,  the  Corn  Club,  movement  has  taught  the  boys 
better  agriculture.  A new  interest  has  been  awakened  in 
all  forms  of  agricultural  activity  and  clubs  for  the  encour- 
agement of  the  growth  of  cows,  hogs  and  other  agricul- 
tural products  have  been  started.  When  it  was  seen  that 
the  corn  clubs  were  such  a success,  similar  clubs  were  origi- 
nated to  teach  the  girls  how  to  raise  and  can  many  of  the 
ordinary  vegetables.  Today  the  Girls’  Canning  Clubs  are 
as  important  and  as  active  as  the  Boys’  Corn  Clubs. 

The  most  extensive  cultivation  of  this  cereal  crop  takes 
place  in  the  United  States.  Our  country  produces  four- 
fifths  of  the  world’s  corn.  The  next  most  important  corn 
producing  country  is  Argentina  in  South  America.  This 
far  southern  country  has  about  the  same  climatic  con- 
ditions as  the  United  States,  and  within  recent  years  has 
greatly  increased  its  corn  production.  The  farmers  in 


113 


Our  Country 


Argentina  are  active  and  have  introduced  modern  methods 
of  cultivating  and  harvesting  the  crops.  The  soil  is  suitable 
for  the  growing  of  the  grain  and  Argentina  will  probably 
increase  her  export  trade  in  corn  and  other  cereals  until 
that  progressive  country  of  South  America  may  equal  the 
United  States  in  the  total  value  of  its  corn  production. 


MANGUM  TOWNSHIP  H.  S* 
B/kHAlA  • K.  u. 

MPG&WV  fcU, 


\T  ' 


WHERE  COTTON  IS  GROWN 


Cotton  is  the  most  important  vegetable  fiber  grown.  It 
is  a tropical  plant  that  has  been  adapted  to  certain  sections 
of  the  temperate  zone.  In  our  country  the  plant  grows  best 
south  of  the  thirty-seventh  parallel  of  latitude.  In  order 
to  grow  cotton  successfully  it  is  necessary  that  the  plant 
should  have  a long  growing  season  and  that  the  tempera- 
ture at  night  should  not  drop  below  seventy  degrees.  The 
best  cotton  fiber  is  produced  in  areas  that  are  located  near 
bodies  of  salt  water,  because  the  plant  needs  a great  deal 
of  moisture.  The  area  in  the  United  States  in  which  the 
most  cotton  is  produced  has  an  average  rainfall  of  from 
thirty  to  sixty  inches. 

The  plant  is  grown  from  seed  and  is  cultivated  in  much 
the  same  way  that  corn  is.  When  the  crop  has  ripened,  the 
pods  containing  the  seed  burst  open  and  the  cotton  fiber 
appears  as  a soft,  white,  hairlike  mass.  The  seeds  cannot 
be  used  with  the  fibers  and  have  to  be  separated  from  them 
by  machinery.  Besides  the  fiber  that  the  plant  produces, 
many  of  its  by-products  are  very  valuable.  The  seed  con- 
tains an  oil  which  may  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  stock 
food  and  other  articles  of  commerce. 

Cotton  picking  is  done  mainly  by  hand,  as  no  machines 
have  yet  been  perfected  to  do  this  work  well.  It  is  culti- 


THE  COTTON  AREA  OF  OUR  COUNTRY 


Where  Cotton  is  Grown 


121 


vated  usually  on  what  is  called  the  plantation  system.  The 
plantation  system  of  farming  is  simply  large  farms  worked 
by  many  hands.  On  these  farms  there  are  generally  over- 
seers who  go  about  from  place  to  place  keeping  a watchful 
eye  on  the  work  of  the  laborers.  Because  of  the  large  num- 
ber of  laborers  needed  on  these  plantations,  slavery  was 
profitable.  In  the  North  where  the  farms  were  smaller 
and  extensive  cultivation  was  not  the  method  of  farming, 
the  labor  question  was  not  so  serious  and  the  farmers  did 
not  demand  large  numbers  of  farm  hands.  The  negro  is 
the  best  and  cheapest  farm  laborer  that  can  be  employed 
for  the  cultivation  and  picking  of  cotton. 

In  the  early  history  of  our  country,  the  cotton  area  was 
very  limited.  At  that  time  there  was  no  easy  method  of 
separating  the  seeds  from  the  fiber.  After  the  invention 
of  the  gin,  cotton  production  increased  rapidly,  and  with 
the  perfection  of  machinery  designed  for  spinning  the  fiber 
into  thread,  cotton  became  a staple  article  of  production. 
Within  recent  years  the  method  of  weaving  cloth  has  been 
greatly  improved,  and  now  some  of  the  finest  cloths  upon 
the  markets  are  made  from  the  cotton  grown  in  our  South- 
ern States. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  cotton,  the  short  staple  and  the 
long  staple.  The  long  staple  produces  a fiber  three  or 
four  inches  long  and  is  grown  in  the  lowland  region  of  the 
South  Atlantic  coastal  plain.  This  long  staple  cotton  is 
produced  along  the  coast  of  Georgia,  South  Carolina  and 


122 


Our  Country 


in  parts  of  Florida.  The  upland  cotton  has  a short  fiber, 
less  than  two  inches  long,  and  is  grown  in  most  parts  of 
the  Southern  States.  In  general,  the  upland  cotton  is  pro- 
duced in  the  gently  rolling  lands  of  the  interior ; it  does  not 
do  well  in  the  low  coastal  plains.  The  area  in  which  the 
two  kinds  of  cotton  are  produced  extends  from  North  Caro- 
lina west  to  Oklahoma  and  Texas.  The  area  south  of  the 
northern  boundary  of  North  Carolina,  Tennessee  and  Okla- 
homa produces  practically  all  of  our  short  staple  cotton. 
The  only  regions  of  this  section  that  do  not  produce  cotton 
are  eastern  Tennessee,  western  North  Carolina,  southern 
Florida  and  the  delta  of  the  Mississippi.  The  delta  lands 
are  too  moist  for  its  production,  and  the  areas  in  Tennessee 
and  Carolina  are  too  high. 

Cotton  is  more  extensively  raised  in  the  United  States 
than  in  any  other  country.  As  a consequence,  this  crop 
figures  prominently  in  our  commerce.  Texas,  on  account 
of  its  size  and  favorable  location,  produces  the  largest 
annual  cotton  yield  of  any  state  in  the  union.  The  state 
of  Georgia  on  the  Atlantic  coast  ranks  second  in  the  total 
amount  of  its  cotton  production. 

The  total  production  of  cotton  in  the  world  is  about 
twenty  million  bales,  averaging  five  hundred  pounds  apiece. 
The  United  States  produces  two-thirds  of  this  crop.  India 
and  Egypt  rank  next  to  our  country  as  cotton  producers, 
and  these  three  countries  produce  about  nine-tenths  of  the 
world’s  crop.  The  cotton  belt  of  the  United  States  is  about 


Where  Cotton  is  Grown  123 

ifteen  hundred  miles  long  and  five  hundred  miles  wide. 
There  are  about  thirty-five  million  acres  devoted  to  the 
^production  of  cotton  in  the  Southern  States.  This  area 
represents  about  one-seventeenth  of  the  total  area  of  these 
states.  Cotton  is  one  of  our  great  cash  crops.  It  is  planted 
pear  after  year  by  many  small  farmers,  who  depend  on 
it  as  their  only  source  of  livelihood.  Owing  to  the  fact  that 
cotton  is  a speculative  crop,  the  variations  in  its  prices  are 
often  very  marked.  For  this  reason  farmers  frequently 
suffer  financial  depression  by  cultivating  this  crop  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  food  crops  necessary  for  living. 

An  increase  in  the  total  production  of  cotton  can  be 
obtained  by  a more  careful  selection  of  seed,  by  a more 
thorough  cultivation  and  by  better  business  methods  in 
handling  the  crop.  Within  recent  years  the  farmers  have 
cooperated  in  certain  sections  of  the  country  for  the  better 
marketing  of  their  products  and  for  the  elimination  of  the 
middle  man’s  profit.  These  cooperative  associations  have 
done  much  good  and  the  farmers  have  been  able  to  save 
some  money  through  them.  Whenever  farmers  unite  for 
mutual  benefit  they  can  buy  cheaper  and  sell  higher  than 
they  can  individually.  Cooperative  creameries  and  can- 
neries are  being  established  throughout  our  country  and  the 
wheat  farmers  in  the  Northwest  have  had  a strong  associa- 
tion for  many  years.  Whether  the  products  of  our  farms 
are  sold  at  home  or  shipped  abroad,  cooperation  among  the 
producers  will  always  bring  good  results. 


124 


Our  Country 


A FIELD  OF  COTTON 
(Courtesy  Geog.  of  Ga.,  A.  B.  Co.) 


A great  deal  of  the  cotton  raised  in  the  Southern  State; 
is  shipped  to  Europe  to  be  manufactured  into  cloth.  Th( 
mills  in  New  England  also  use  large  quantities  of  this  crop 
annually.  In  the  past  the  entire  crop  was  sent  out  of  thf 
South  to  be  manufactured  into  cloth.  On  account  of  the 
development  of  water  power  in  the  southern  rivers,  cotton 
mills  have  been  established  along  the  Fall  Line  from  North 
Carolina  to  Alabama,  and  cotton  cloth  is  now  being  manu- 
factured where  the  raw  material  is  grown.  These  mills 
are  converting  into  a high  grade  of  cloth  much  of  the 
cotton  raised  in  these  states.  With  the  coming  of  more 
immigrants,  the  cotton  mill  industry  will  increase  in  value 


Where  Cotton  is  Grown 


125 


nd  the  mills  of  the  South  will  be  able  to  compete  with  the 
aills  of  the  North  in  the  manufacture  of  this  product. 

Long  staple  cotton  is  known  as  Sea  Island  cotton.  This 
lant  gets  its  name  from  the  fact  that  it  grows  best  on 
he  low  islands  along  the  coast.  It  is  a native  of  this  con- 
inent.  Its  fiber  is  superior  to  that  of  any  other  kind  of 
otton,  being  long,  fine,  and  of  greater  market  value. 
Vhere  short  staple  cotton  brings  a price  of  ten  or  eleven 
ents,  the  long  staple  will  command  as  much  as  twenty-six 
r twenty-eight  cents  a pound. 

The  cultivation  of  Sea  Island  cotton  is  decidedly  limited 
1 area.  It  will  grow  only  in  certain  well  defined  localities 
ear  the  seacoast  and  its  total  production  in  the  South- 
rn  States  is  only  about  100,000  bales  per  year.  This 
: i less  than  one  per  cent  of  the  cotton  crop  of  the  United 
tates.  There  is  room  for  improvement  in  the  Sea  Island 
atton,  both  in  acreage  and  in  quality.  The  largest  quantity 
f this  cotton  comes  from  the  islands  along  the  coast  of 
outh  Carolina.  The  islands  of  the  Georgia  coast  are  not 

Idapted  to  the  raising  of  this  crop,  but  many  of  the  coast 
aunties  of  Georgia  grow  excellent  long  staple  cotton. 

Besides  the  cotton  raised  in  the  United  States,  there  are 
iree  other  kinds  grown  in  the  world.  The  first  of  these  is 
ailed  the  Egyptian  cotton  and  is  believed  to  be  an  adapta- 
on  of  the  Sea  Island  type.  The  second  is  known  as  the 
idian  cotton.  This  is  a short  staple  cotton,  but  differs  from 
le  American  cotton  in  being  coarser  and  less  desirable  for 


126 


Our  Country 


the  purpose  of  weaving.  This  is  very  expensive.  The  thir 
type  of  cotton  is  the  Peruvian.  This  cotton  is  much  lik 
wool  in  texture  and  is  sometimes  mixed  with  wool  in  mak 
ing  cloth.  The  lint  of  the  Peruvian  cotton  varies  great! 
in  color. 

With  the  exception  of  a few  states  located  in  th 
Mississippi  Valley,  most  of  the  Southern  States  of  the  cot 
ton  belt  use  a great  deal  of  fertilizer.  This  large  use  of  fer 
tilizer  is  due  to  the  depletion  of  the  southern  soil.  This  con 
dition  has  been  brought  about  by  the  continual  cultivate 
of  only  one  crop  on  those  farms.  Whenever  a farm  1, 
cultivated  as  a one  crop  farm  the  land  soon  loses  its  fer 
tility.  The  constant  replanting  of  a crop  takes  out  of  th' 
soil  one  kind  of  plant  food  and  does  not  give  back  to  the  soi 
anything  of  value.  Within  recent  years,  some  of  our  south 
ern  farmers  have  been  alternating  their  cotton  with  othe 
crops,  thus  improving  the  fertility  of  their  soil.  It  is  bet 
ter  to  increase  our  production  of  food  crops  when  we  can 
If  the  farms  of  the  South  can  be  cultivated  without  the  usi 
of  so  much  fertilizer,  one  of  the  greatest  expenses  in  cottoi 
raising  will  be  reduced. 


WHERE  WHEAT  IS  GROWN 


Wheat  is  one  of  the  most  important  cereals  grown.  It 
belongs  to  the  grass  family  and  is  closely  related  to  both 
rye  and  barley.  Its  original  home  was  probably  in  western 
Asia  and  it  has  been  cultivated  as  long  as  man  can  remem- 
ber. It  has  always  been  one  of  the  great  food  crops  of  the 
world  and  all  the  important  nations  have  used  it  as  food. 
The  Chinese  have  been  familiar  with  the  grain  for  nearly 
five  thousand  years. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  wheat,  only  a few  of  which  are 
in  common  use.  They  are  generally  classified  as  spring  or 
as  winter  wheat.  Another  classification  of  this  grain  is  the 
soft  and  the  hard.  The  soft  varieties  are  used  for  making 
flour,  while  the  hard  are  manufactured  into  macaroni. 
Sometimes  a mixture  of  the  soft  and  the  hard  wheat  pro- 
duces excellent  results  after  being  milled.  Hard  wheat  is 
generally  much  richer  in  protein  than  soft  wheat.  The  di- 
vision of  wheat  into  spring  and  winter  wheat  is  not  an  exact 
classification,  for  winter  wheat  may  be  sown  in  spring,  and 
spring  wheat  in  the  fall,  and  good  results  obtained.  How- 
ever, this  last  classification  is  the  more  common  and  is  used 
by  most  farmers  to  distinguish  the  kind  planted. 

Most  countries  do  not  produce  enough  wheat  for  home 
consumption,  consequently  the  commerce  in  wheat  between 


Where  Wheat  is  Grown 


129 


the  nations  of  the  world  is  important.  The  largest  re- 
corded yield  of  this  cereal  in  one  nation  in  a single  year 
was  in  the  United  States  in  1915,  when  this  country  raised 
more  than  a billion  bushels.  Our  large  yields  are  due  to 
many  causes,  the  principal  ones  being  good  wheat  soils  and  a 
climate  that  permits  the  grain  to  grow  and  ripen  readily. 
Besides  these  natural  conditions,  the  United  States  has  the 
best  machinery  and  most  economical  methods  for  cultivat- 
ing and  harvesting  the  crop.  Our  arrangements  for  mar- 
keting the  rich  wheat  yields  of  the  country  are  superior  to 
those  of  any  other  country.  Our  mills  are  the  best  and 
they  supply  the  markets  of  the  world  with  the  finest  flour. 
Wheat  does  not  require  as  much  moisture  for  its  growth  as 
do  other  cereals.  One  of  the  necessary  conditions  for  good 
growth  is  coolness  of  climate  during  the  early  life  of  the 
plant.  On  account  of  these  climatic  conditions,  the  wheat 
areas  are  located  in  the  cool  sections  of  the  world. 

Wheat  has  a remarkable  power  of  adapting  itself  to 
different  conditions  of  soil  and  climate.  It  is  a hardy  plant 
and  comparatively  easy  to  cultivate.  The  methods  of  har- 
vesting it  make  it  a popular  crop  for  all  areas  that  can 
raise  it.  The  conditions  existing  in  the  northern  and  cen- 
tral parts  of  our  country  make  the  production  of  wheat  com- 
paratively cheap  throughout  the  states  of  Minnesota,  North 
and  South  Dakota,  Kansas  and  Nebraska.  The  land  is  level 
and  easily  cultivated.  The  climate  is  cool,  except  in  mid- 


130 


Our  Country 


summer,  and  the  rainfall  is  sufficient  for  the  growth  of  the 
plant.  These  states,  together  with  Illinois,  Indiana  and 
Ohio,  produce  the  largest  part  of  the  wheat  used  in  this 
country.  On  account  of  the  nearness  of  this  area  to  the 
Mississippi  River  and  the  Great  Lakes,  the  transportation 
of  the  raw  product  is  cheap  and  easy.  The  many  rail- 
roads located  in  the  Middle  West  also  offer  exceptional 
transportation  facilities  for  the  moving  of  the  grain  crop 
raised  in  those  plains. 

One  of  the  most  important  wheat  areas  of  Europe  is 
found  in  Russia  and  in  the  plains  of  Austria-Hungary, 
about  the  Danube  River,  where  conditions  are  somewhat 
similar  to  those  of  our  own  country.  The  peninsula  of 
India  in  Asia  is  an  important  wheat  area.  Grain  can  be 
raised  profitably  in  that. country  because  of  cheap  labor. 
India  is  densely  populated  and  most  of  the  people  are  very 
poor,  hence  labor  is  abundant  and  cheap. 

The  wheat  belt  of  the  United  States  is  crossed  by  the 
corn  belt.  These  two  belts  overlap  at  certain  places,  but 
the  wheat  area  generally  is  located  farther  north  than  the 
corn  belt.  One  of  the  largest  wheat  areas  of  the  North 
American  continent  is  found  in  the  Saskatchewan  Valley  in 
southern  Canada.  Just  south  of  this  area  are  the  great 
wheat  fields  of  the  United  States.  The  valley  of  the  Red 
River  of  the  North  is  one  of  the  richest  wheat  sections  in  the 
Middle  West.  Although  this  northern  central  area  is  a 


Where  Wheat  is  Grown 


131 


A WHEAT  FIELD 
(Courtesy  U.  S.  Dept.  Agric.) 

great  wheat  producing  country,  still  the  grain  is  grown  in 
every  state  in  the  union  except  the  most  southern  and  the 
Plateau  states.  The  Pacific  coast  wheat  belt  includes  the 
states  of  Idaho,  Washington,  Oregon  and  California.  Wash- 
ington is  one  of  the  important  wheat  producing  states;  it 
ranks  as  one  of  the  ten  leading  states  in  the  growth  of  this 
grain.  The  wheat  grown  in  the  Pacific  section  is  softer  than 
that  grown  in  other  sections  of  our  country,  and  has  a soft, 
starchy  content. 

In  the  southern  section  of  the  wheat  belt,  the  grain  is 
sown  in  the  fall  and  harvested  in  the  following  summer. 
This  wheat  is  called  winter  wheat  because  it  grows  during 


132 


Our  Country 


the  winter  months  of  the  year.  The  seed  is  generally  sown 
by  means  of  drills  that  plant  it  in  rows  at  any  desired 
depth.  After  the  seed  is  planted,  no  cultivation  of  the  field 
is  necessary.  If  the  winter  is  cold  and  damp,  the  crop  will 
grow  better  than  it  would  if  the  season  were  warm.  In 
the  northern  part  of  the  belt,  where  the  winters  are  more 
severe,  spring  wheat  is  sown.  In  this  section  the  seed  is 
planted  in  April  and  the  crop  harvested  the  following  Sep- 
tember. The  growing  season  in  this  part  of  the  wheat  belt 
is  necessarily  short  and  the  crop  is  planted  so  that  it  will 
have  all  possible  advantage  of  the  best  climatic  conditions. 
When  the  crop  matures,  the  heads  of  the  wheat  are  cut 
from  the  plant  by  means  of  large  machines  called  headers. 
These  are  threshed  and  the  grain  is  sent  to  the  mills  that 
manufacture  it  into  flour.  The  remaining  part  of  the  plant 
is  called  straw. 

After  wheat  has  been  taken  from  the  fields,  it  is  sent  to 
the  cities  where  it  is  generally  stored  in  elevators  until  the 
mills  are  ready  to  use  it.  Cities  like  Chicago,  St.  Paul  and 
Minneapolis  have  large  buildings  equipped  for  the  handling 
and  storing  of  this  grain.  From  these  elevators  the  wheat 
is  sent  to  mills  to  be  ground  into  flour.  When  it  comes  from 
the  wheat  fields  it  is  known  as  the  raw  product;  after  the  1 
mills  have  finished  grinding  it,  it  is  the  semi-raw  product, 
called  flour.  Neither  the  raw  nor  the  semi-raw  product  is  of 
use  to  man  until  it  has  undergone  still  another  process, 


Where  Wheat  is  Grown 


133 


which  generally  takes  place  in  the  kitchens  of  our  homes 
where  flour  is  made  into  bread  or  cakes. 

Some  of  the  largest  flour  mills  in  our  country  are  in  the 
city  of  Minneapolis  on  the  Mississippi  River.  This  city  is 
located  at  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  which  furnish  valuable 
water-power  for  the  mills.  There  are  many  other  cities  in 
our  country  that  are  noted  flour  producing  centers.  The 
city  of  Denver  in  Colorado  is  a noted  flour  market.  St. 
Louis,  Kansas  City,  Nashville,  Stockton  and  San  Francisco 
are  flour  producing  centers. 

After  the  mills  have  ground  the  grain  into  flour,  the 
product  that  is  left  is  called  bran.  This  bran  or  middling 
is  valuable  as  stock  food.  Almost  one-fourth  of  the  raw 
wheat  product  becomes  bran  when  it  passes  through  the 
mills. 

The  seed  of  the  wheat  plant  contains  a very  valuable 
starchy  substance  called  gluten.  This  gluten  is  rich  in  the 
element  of  nitrogen,  which  is  one  of  the  important  constitu- 
ents of  our  food.  On  the  sides  of  this  little  mass  of  gluten 
in  the  seed  is  a husk  which  is  woody  in  structure.  It  is  this 
husk  that  forms  the  bran  of  commerce.  In  manufacturing 
bread  from  the  gluten  of  wheat,  some  ferment,  such  as 
yeast  or  baking  powder,  is  used  for  lifting  the  mass.  When 
the  flour  and  water  and  yeast  are  mixed  together  and  al- 
lowed to  stand  in  a warm  place,  carbonic  acid  gas  is  liber- 
ated and  forms  bubbles  in  the  mass  of  the  bread.  The 


134 


Our  Country 


gluten  itself  is  tough  and  does  not  allow  these  gas  bubbles 
to  break  through.  As  the  bubbles  expand  in  size,  the  bread 
is  gradually  raised  until  it  becomes  porous.  No  other  cereal 
except  rye  will  act  as  wheat  does  when  placed  with  yeast. 

Wheat  is  such  an  important  food  crop  that  it  forms  one 
of  the  staple  articles  of  commerce.  Cities  such  as  New 
York  and  New  Orleans,  that  are  situated  far  from  the  wheat 
fields,  have  important  granaries  in  which  the  raw  material 
is  stored.  As  the  raw  wheat  is  bulky  it  is  generally  shipped 
in  large  steamers  or  river  boats.  There  are  many  lines  of 
such  steamers  upon  the  Great  Lakes  that  carry  the  cereal 
from  Duluth  to  Chicago  or  Buffalo,  where  it  is  transshipped 
to  the  canal  boats  that  pass  through  the  Erie  canal.  These 
canal  boats  finally  discharge  their  cargoes  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  where  large  ocean  steamers  load  the  product  and 
take  it  to  foreign  markets.  A great  deal  of  wheat  is  sent 
down  the  Mississippi  in  river  boats  to  the  city  of  New  Or- 
leans, from  which  place  it  is  sent  to  other  parts  of  the  world. 
Wherever  it  is  impossible  to  send  wheat  by  boat,  it  is 
shipped  in  freight  cars  and  hurried  across  the  country  to  its 
destination.  It  is  best  to  keep  harvested  wheat  as  cool  as 
possible,  as  its  value  becomes  less  if  the  temperature  is  too 
warm. 

In  the  highlands  of  the  Appalachian  region,  small  wheat 
crops  can  be  profitably  raised.  Most  of  the  wheat  that  is 
produced  in  this  area  is  for  home  use.  The  coastal  plains  of 


Where  Wheat  is  Grown 


135 


the  East  and  South  are  too  low  and  warm  to  raise  any  other 
kind  than  winter  wheat.  Some  of  this  may  be  raised  profit- 
ably in  certain  sections  of  our  Southern  States,  although 
these  states  can  never  compete  with  the  Middle  West  in  vol- 
ume of  production.  They  can  grow  a crop  sufficient  for 
home  use.  They  do  not  do  this  at  the  present  time  because 
most  of  the  Southern  States  are  one-crop  states,  depending 
for  their  prosperity  upon  the  growing  of  upland  cotton. 
With  the  introduction  of  electricity  in  the  highland  areas, 
flour  mills  could  be  erected  and  the  wheat  made  into  flour  in 
the  region  of  its  production. 


MANUFACTURING  CENTERS 


In  the  past,  most  of  the  manufacturing  industries  of  the 
United  States  have  been  located  in  the  northeastern  section  i 
of  our  country.  If  a line  were  drawn  from  Philadelphia  to 
St.  Louis  and  then  from  St.  Louis  to  Chicago,  it  would  in- 
clude an  area  that  at  one  time  produced  nine-tenths  of  the 
manufactured  products  of  the  United  States.  Within  recent 
years  this  manufacturing  area  has  increased  in  size  and 
spread  towards  the  southwest.  In  the  early  history  of 
our  country,  virtually  all  the  manufacturing  was  done  in 
Pennsylvania,  New  York  and  the  New  England  States.  As  J 
the  country  became  more  thickly  settled,  and  the  water- 
power of  the  rivers  was  developed,  mills  and  factories  were 
established  in  the  Middle  West  and  in  the  South.  The  intro- 
duction of  electricity  made  it  possible  for  power  to  be  trans- 
mitted great  distances,  and  mills  could  be  located  at  con- 
venient centers  without  regard  to  the  nearness  of  water 
power.  The  large  centers  of  population  necessarily  became 
manufacturing  centers.  At  these  places  the  laboring  popu- 
lation could  find  work  only  in  mills  and  factories.  As  the 
country  developed  and  foreign  immigrants  entered,  new  de- 
mands were  made  on  the  manufacturing  industries  to  sup- 
ply their  needs. 

There  are  certain  economic  features  that  govern  the 


Manufacturing  Centers 


137 


A MANUFACTURING  DISTRICT 
(Courtesy  Union  Tanning  Co.) 

location  of  manufacturing  areas.  A manufacturing  indus- 
try to  be  successful  must  be  within  easy  access  of  raw 
materials.  It  must  have  sufficient  power  to  run  the  fac- 
tories necessary  to  manufacture  the  commodities  needed. 
There  must  also  be  an  abundance  of  labor  if  the  product 
is  to  be  turned  out  cheaply.  Besides  all  of  these  condi- 
tions, nearness  to  a good  market  is  also  essential.  When- 
ever it  is  possible,  manufacturing  plants  are  located  in  the 
area  of  production.  Other  things  being  equal,  the  location 
of  the  manufacturing  center  near  the  area  of  production  is 
very  important.  It  does  not  pay  to  transport  raw  material 
any  great  distance  if  the  freight  rates  are  high.  For  this 


138 


Our  Country 


reason,  cotton  mills  erected  in  the  Southern  States  have  a 
great  advantage  over  those  in  the  North. 

If  the  manufacturing  plant  cannot  be  located  within 
the  area  of  production,  it  must  be  placed  where  it  can  get 
the  cheapest  transportation  of  the  raw  material  to  be  used. 
If  it  were  possible  to  develop  good  power  for  iron  manufac- 
turing in  the  Lake  Superior  region,  the  manufacture  of  that 
product  would  take  place  in  that  area.  Coal  is  necessary  for 
the  smelting  of  iron,  and  there  is  no  coal  about  Lake  Su- 
perior. As  a consequence  of  this  geographic  condition,  the 
iron  must  be  shipped  to  some  point  within  easy  access  of  the 
coal  fields. 

The  same  is  true  of  the  manufacturing  of  cotton  cloth. 
In  the  past,  the  swift  rivers  of  the  New  England  States 
offered  a cheap  and  easy  power  for  the  runnihg  of  the  mills. 
In  the  South  the  water-power  of  the  rivers  was  not  devel- 
oped, and  so  the  raw  cotton  was  shipped  from  the  Southern 
States  to  the  New  England  mills  to  be  made  into  cloth.  Now 
that  electricity  has  become  a valuable  motive  power,  many 
mills  in  the  South  are  utilizing  it,  and  cotton  is  being  manu- 
factured within  the  area  in  which  it  is  produced. 

The  abundance  of  labor  in  any  area  practically  controls 
the  manufacturing  industries.  Where  labor  is  plentiful, 
wages  are  usually  low,  and  it  is  not  difficult  to  get  help  in 
the  mills.  Where  labor  is  scarce,  wages  are  higher.  The 
eastern  and  the  middle  sections  of  our  country  have  become 


Manufacturing  Centers  139 


IRON  MILL 

(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 


hickly  populated  with  foreign  people,  and  these  have  en- 
ured the  mills  that  are  established  in  the  large  centers. 
The  Southern  States  have  encouraged  immigration  but  lit- 
;le  and  therefore,  together  with  other  causes,  their  manu- 
?acturing  plants  have  not  been  developed  as  fast  as  their 
igricultural  activities.  At  the  present  time  the  South  is 
making  a bid  for  settlers,  and  as  other  people  are  now  coni- 
ng into  this  territory  and  new  industries  are  being  started 
md  new  wealth  brought  to  the  manufacturing  centers,  it 
will  not  be  long  before  the  southern  group  of  states  takes 
prominent  rank  as  a manufacturing  area  of  our  country. 

One  of  the  most  valuable  manufacturing  industries  is 
that  of  iron.  As  this  metal  is  used  so  extensively  and  for  so 


140. 


Our  Country 


many  things,  its  manufacture  is  of  great  importance  to  us 
Almost  anything  we  have  about  our  homes  and  other  build 
ings  requires  the  use  of  this  metal.  The  iron  areas  of  ou 
country  have  already  been  located,  and  the  manufacturinj 
centers  of  this  ore  will  be  found  closely  associated  witl 
them.  In  the  East,  the  great  iron  manufactories  are  lo 
cated  in  the  Appalachian  Highlands.  Here  coal  is  abundan 
and  labor  comparatively  plentiful.  Whenever  the  supply 
of  iron  is  not  equal  to  the  demand,  these  centers  draw  01 
the  iron  deposits  found  in  the  western  parts  of  our  country 

The  preparation  of  the  precious  metals,  such  as  gol< 
and  silver,  is  a manufacturing  industry  of  the  westeri 
highlands  of  the  United  States.  These  metals  are  prepara 
in  the  areas  in  which  they  are  mined.  If  the  gold  an( 
silver  are  to  be  used  for  money,  the  metal  is  shipped  t( 
mints  situated  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States.  Then 
is  a mint  in  Philadelphia,  one  in  New  Orleans,  one  in  Den 
ver  and  one  in  San  Francisco.  These  mints  are  under  direcl 
supervision  of  the  government  officials  and  great  care  k 
taken  in  the  making  of  our  money. 

The  manufacture  of  lumber  into  the  various  forms  ir 
which  it  is  used  takes  place  in  the  great  lumbering  areas 
Southern  Michigan  is  the  center  of  much  of  the  furniture 
manufacturing  of  the  country.  Grand  Rapids  has  impor- 
tant furniture  pla,nts  which  use  the  product  of  the  fores^l 
of  the  North.  Throughout  the  Southern  States  are  large 


Manufacturing  Centers 


141 


sawmills  which  cut  the  timber  into  boards,  shingles,  and 
i' other  forms  of  lumber  that  the  markets  demand.  In  the 
northeastern  section  of  our  country,  where  spruce  and  hem- 
lock timber  grows  in  abundance,  tanning  is  an  important  in- 
dustry. At  one  time  nearly  all  the  leather  that  was  used 
came  from  this  section,  but  now  the  raising  of  cattle  on  the 
western  plains  has  become  so  important  that  some  of  the 
middle  states  have  become  leather  manufacturing  centers. 
In  these  states  it  is  easier  to  import  the  bark  for  tanning 
than  it  is  to  export  the  hides  for  manufacturing  purposes. 
St.  Louis  and  other  cities  of  the  Middle  West  have  become 
important  boot  and  shoe  centers  and  are  now  competing 
with  the  great  shoe  centers  of  the  East.  Brockton  and  Lynn 
in  Massachusetts  once  produced  more  boots  and  shoes  than 
any  other  places  in  our  country,  but  now  the  real  volume  of 
their  business  is  equaled  by  that  of  some  of  the  cities  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley. 

One-third  of  all  the  manufacturing  in  the  world  is  done 
in  this  country.  This  industry  is  so  large  that  we  have 
enacted  laws  in  the  various  states  to  protect  the  laborers  in 
their  occupations.  The  demand  for  labor  has  been  so  great 
in  certain  sections  of  the  country  that  young  children  have 
been  forced  into  the  mills.  This  has  been  hurtful  to  the 
welfare  of  the  entire  country,  and  many  states  have  passed 
laws  restricting  the  use  of  child  labor  in  the  mills  and  fac- 
tories. 

The  great  problems  of  the  day  are  those  that  involve 


142 


Our  Country 


capital  and  labor.  The  strikes  that  occur  throughout  oui 
country  are  instances  of  a restlessness  on  the  part  of  the 

working  man  and  a dissatisfaction  with  working  conditions. 

♦ 

The  United  States  has  taken  control  of  certain  matters  ol 
manufacturing  and  transportation  of  goods.  Whenever  the 
state  is  unable  to  adjust  a controversy  between  the  capital- 
ist and  the  laborer,  the  United  States  sometimes  steps  in 
and  helps  to  settle  the  dispute. 


LOCATIONS  OF  OUR  GREAT  CITIES 

Most  cities  are  located  either  on  plains  or  in  valleys. 
The  topography  of  a country  governs  to  a certain  extent  the 
locations  of  the  centers  of  industry.  Man  has  found  it 
much  easier  to  build  his  cities  on  level  land  than  on  land 
that  is  uneven.  Roads  are  more  easily  constructed,  rail- 
roads more  easily  built  and  ways  of  communication  more 
easily  opened  where  the  land  is  level.  Geographic  condi- 
tions are  responsible  for  the  locations  of  most  of  the  centers 
of  trade. 

Some  cities  have  been  built  at  the  intersection  of  trade 
routes.  The  location  of  Paris  in  France  is  an  illustration 
of  this.  Sometimes  cities  will  grow  where  there  is  a trans- 
shipment of  goods.  By  transshipment  we  mean  the  change 
of  goods  from  one  method  of  transportation  to  another. 
Buffalo  has  become  important  on  account  of  the  change  in 
transporting  goods  that  takes  place  there.  Grain  shipped 
from  the  West  in  large  vessels  is  transshipped  at  Buffalo 
to  canal  boats  and  sent  down  the  Erie  Canal.  The  city 
of  Buffalo  is  at  the  end  of  lake  navigation,  and  is,  there- 
fore, an  important  lake  port. 

When  certain  sections  of  our  coasts  have  good  harbors, 
cities  will  grow  on  their  shores.  As  the  harbor  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Hudson  River  has  excellent  anchorage  for 


144 


Our  Country 


large  ocean-going-  vessels,  the  port  of  New  York  has  become 
very  important.  Besides  the  wonderful  harbor  that  it  has, 
New  York  is  well  located  for  trading  with  the  interior.  It 
is  situated  at  the  gateway  of  the  Hudson  River  and  Mohawk 
valleys,  and  is  the  natural  port  of  entry  to  the  eastern  sec- 
tion of  our  country. 

The  cities  of  Minneapolis  and  St. Paul  owe  their  locations 
to  a waterfall  in  the  Mississippi  River.  These  cities  are  in 
the  great  wheat  area  and  the  water-power  at  the  falls  has 
developed  their  flour  manufacturing  industry.  Sometimes 
cities  are  situated  near  the  mineral  deposits  found  in  the 
earth.  Pittsburg  in  western  Pennsylvania  is  an  example 
of  this.  Its  position  at  the  junction  of  the  Alleghany  and 
Monongahela  rivers  gives  it  good  water  communication  with 
other  parts  of  our  country.  The  nearness  of  the  coal  fields 
and  the  ease  with  which  raw  material  may  be  transported 
to  it  make  it  a great  manufacturing  center.  Denver  in 
Colorado  owes  its  location  to  the  mines  that  are  found 
near  it.  San  Francisco,  Portland  and  Seattle  owe  their 
positions  to  fine  harbors  found  on  the  western  coast.  These  j 
three  cities  are  valuable  gateways  for  the  export  trade  of 
that  coast. 

Many  of  the  Gulf  ports  are  built  on  delta  and  island 
formations.  New  Orleans  is  at  the  southern  end  of  the 
cotton  belt  and  is  situated  upon  a deep  channel  in  the 
Mississippi  River.  Galveston,  on  the  other  hand,  is  built 


1 


Locations  of  Our  Great  Cities  145 

on  an  island.  The  harbor  of  this  city  has  been  greatly 
improved  by  artificial  breakwaters  and  is  now  the  most 
important  gulf  port  of  our  country. 

Sometimes  cities  have  been  built  under  physical  condi- 
tions which  seemed  almost  insurmountable.  The  city  of 
Washington  was  built  on  marshy  flats  that  offered  none  of 
the  usual  conditions  for  city  building.  For  many  years 
the  streets  were  nothing  more  than  boggy  cow  paths  over 
which  it  was  almost  impossible  to  drive.  After  years  of 
labor  and  the  expenditure  of  much  money  the  city  has  be- 
come beautiful  and  noted  for  its  well  kept  condition.  It  is 
not  a center  of  trade  and  never  will  be,  but  it  is  the  seat 
of  our  National  Government  and  is  therefore  an  important 
city.  The  adjacent  city  of  Baltimore  controls  the  trade  of 
that  section.  This  city  has  natural  facilities  for  manufac- 
turing and  trade  interests. 

Cities  are  frequently  located  for  health  advantages. 
Their  sites  are  determined  either  by  climate  or  some  min- 
: eral  water  found  in  their  localities.  Sulphur  Springs  in 
f Virginia,  Hot  Springs  in  Arkansas  and  Colorado  Springs 
in  the  state  of  Colorado  are  cities  which  have  been 
so  located  and  that  depend  largely  on  their  visitors  for 
: their  municipal  revenues.  In  certain  sections  of  New  Hamp- 
( shire,  many  small  cities  have  been  built  in  picturesque  loca- 
: tions.  These  cities  derive  much  of  their  prosperity  from 
■ their  summer  tourists. 


146 


Our  Country 


CHICAGO  LAKE  FRONT 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 


The  largest  city  in  our  country  is  New  York.  It  is  the 
second  largest  city  in  the  world,  being  surpassed  only  by 
London.  If  it  grows  in  the  future  at  the  same  rate  that 
it  has  in  the  past,  it  will  not  be  many  years  before  it  is 
even  larger  than  London.  Its  location  on  several  islands  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Hudson  River  makes  it  an  important  sea- : 
port.  The  city  was  originally  built  on  the  southern  end 
of  Manhattan  Island,  but  it  has  now  spread  to  other  islands 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  and  also  to  a part  of  the. main- 
land. The  harbor  is  a small  fiord  with  a lagoon  attached  j 
to  it.  The  East  River  forms  an  inside  passage  that  is 
especially  valuable  for  coastal  trade.  Some  of  the  factors 


Locations  of  Our  Great  Cities 


147 


that  tend  to  make  New  York  a great  commercial  center 
are  its  long  wharfage,  the  many  bays  and  straits  coming 
to  the  land,  the  nearness  of  the  anthracite  coal  fields  and 
its  position  at  the  gateway  of  the  Hudson  and  Mohawk 
valleys. 

The  second  largest  city  in  the  United  States  is  Chicago. 
The  exact  location  of  this  city  was  determined  by  a small 
river  flowing  into  Lake  Michigan.  It  was  on  the  bank  of 
this  river  that  a trading  post  was  established  that  later 
became  the  city  of  Chicago.  The  river  has  been  dredged 
to  make  it  navigable  for  small  vessels,  and  a canal  has  been 
built  connecting  it  with  the  Illinois  River,  thus  opening  a 
passageway  to  the  Mississippi  and  the  Gulf.  The  growth 
of  Chicago  has  been  phenomenal.  It  is  built  along  the 
( southwestern  shore  of  the  lake  and  covers  more  territory 
than  any  other  city  in  our  country.  The  city  is  well  located 
to  control  the  lake  transportation  from  the  middle  and 
western  states.  Many  of  the  railrohds  passing  from  the 
east  to  the  west  go  through  the  city,  making  it  the  gateway 
for  the  great  food  section  of  our  country. 

The  third  largest  city  is  Philadelphia.  This  city  is  a 
river  port  located  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Delaware  River 

I about  one  hundred  miles  from  the  sea.  It  is  built  on  a level 
river  plain  and  is  accessible  from  the  interior  of  the  coun- 
try through  many  river  valleys  and  mountain  gaps.  It  has  a 
('wharfage  of  about  ten  miles  and  a river  channel  that  will 


148 


Cur  Country 


BOSTON  HARBOR 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 

accommodate  most  of  the  large  ocean  vessels.  It  is  closely 
connected  with  the  coal  and  iron  fields,  and  much  of  its 
commerce  is  identified  with  these  interests.  It  has  large 
manufactories  and  ship  building  yards,  and  is  one  of  our 
important  river  ports.  Steamers  from  foreign  countries 
enter  its  harbor  and  exchange  their  products  for  the  manu- 
factured articles  of  the  Middle  West. 

St.  Louis,  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi 
River  a few  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  River, 
is  the  next  city  in  size  and  importance.  It  is  a prominent 
river  port  and  is  the  distributing  center  for  the  southwest- 
ern part  of  the  United  States.  It  is  an  important  railroad 


Locations  of  Our  Great  Cities 


149 


center  and  is  a rival  of  Chicago  for  the  trade  of  the  Mid- 
dle West.  The  river  commerce  of  the  Mississippi  has  de- 
creased with  the  development  of  railroads  and  St.  Louis  has 
lost  much  of  its  river  export  trade. 

Boston  in  Massachusetts  is  next  to  St.  Louis  in  the 
number  of  its  inhabitants.  It  is  the  great  commercial  cen- 
ter  of  the  New  England  States.  It  has  an  excellent  harbor 
and  a large  foreign  and  domestic  commerce.  It  is  the  ter- 
minal city  for  many  railroads  and  electric  lines  besides 
being  a good  seaport  town.  It  is  one  of  the  centers  of  the 
• fishing  industry,  and  vessels  leave  its  wharves  for  all  the 
different  fishing  grounds  along  our  east  coast.  Boston  is 
located  at  the  head  of  Massachusetts  Bay.  The  inner  part 
of  this  bay,  which  is  known  as  Boston  Harbor,  was  made  by 
the  overflowing  of  several  valleys  by  the  waters  of  the 
ocean.  On  account  of  this  coastal  formation,  there  are 
many  small  islands  that  protect  the  harbor  from  the  severe 
storms  that  beat  along  the  coast. 

Buffalo  at  the  western  end  of  Lake  Erie  is  the  natural 
terminus  for  lake  trade.  The  Niagara  River  between  Lakes 
Erie  and  Ontario  prevents  further  shipping  by  boats  east- 
ward. With  the  exception  of  Chicago,  Buffalo  is  the  most 
important  lake  port.  The  city  is  at  the  western  end  of  the 
Mohawk  Valley  and  is  conveniently  located  for  the  trans- 
shipment of  the  raw  products  of  the  West  to  the  manufac- 
turing centers  of  the  East.  Many  railroads  center  in  Buf- 


150 


Our  Country 


falo,  and  its  nearness  to  the  Niagara  Falls  gives  it  excellent 
electrical  power  for  its  mills  and  manufactories.  Baltimore 
in  Maryland  has  a drowned  valley  harbor.  It  is  situated  on 
one  of  the  arms  of  Chesapeake  Bay  and  is  the  commer- 
cial center  of  the  middle  Atlantic  area.  Washington  is  at 
the  head  of  navigation  of  the  Potomac  River,  but  is  not  con- 
sidered a commercial  or  industrial  city.  It  is  built  on  a 
picturesque  spot  on  the  Maryland  side  of  the  river,  the  land 
having  been  selected  as  the  seat  of  the  Federal  Government, 
and  donated  by  the  state  of  Maryland  for  this  purpose. 

Most  of  the  seaports  of  the  Southern  States  are  river 
ports.  Charleston  in  South  Carolina  and  Galveston  in 
Texas,  Pensacola  and  Tampa  in  Florida  and  Mobile  in  Ala- 
bama are  all  on  bays.  Wilmington  in  North  Carolina,  Sa- 
vannah in  Georgia,  Jacksonville  in  Florida  and  New  Orleans 
in  Louisiana  are  large  river  ports.  These  cities  export  such 
products  as  cotton,  lumber  and  naval  supplies.  There  are 
several  other  seaports  along  the  Gulf  and  Atlantic  coasts 
which  have  a large  coastal  trade. 

Savannah  is  located  on  the  Savannah  River  about  eigh- 
teen miles  from’  the  coast.  The  National  Government  has 
spent  millions  of  dollars  improving  the  channel  of  the  Sa- 
vannah so  that  large  ocean-going  vessels  may  come  up  to  the 
wharves  of  the  city.  Savannah  exports  more  naval  supplies 
than  any  other  city  in  the  world.  Jacksonville  on  the  St. 
Johns  River  in  Florida  besides  being  an  important  exporting 


Locations  of  Our  Great  Cities 


151 


COTTON  ON  THE  WHARF  AT  NEW  ORLEANS 
(Copyright  Detroit  Photographic  Co.) 

city  is  also  a noted  winter  resort  for  northern  tourists. 
The  section  of  Florida  just  south  of  Jacksonville  produces 
large  yields  of  oranges  and  these  are  sent  to  this  port  for 
shipment  to  other  parts  of  our  country. 

New  Orleans,  the  largest  city  of  the  South,  is  built  on 
land  brought  down  from  the  north  by  the  Mississippi  River. 
The  city  is  well  protected  by  levees  that  extend  along  the 
river  bank  for  many  miles.  New  Orleans  is  the  leading  cot- 
ton exporting  city  of  the  country,  and  is  a center  for  the 
rice  and  sugar  cane  industries.  The  opening  of  the  Panama 
Canal  should  greatly  increase  the  foreign  and  domestic  com- 
merce of  this  city. 

Atlanta,  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  Georgia,  is  the 


152 


Our  Country 


second  largest  city  in  the  Southern  States.  It  is  one  of 

the  most  progressive  cities  in  the  country  and  is  rapidly 

. 

forging  ahead  in  industrial  and  commercial  enterprises. 
The  location  of  the  city  just  south  of  the  Appalachian 
Highlands  is  almost  ideal  for  commercial  development.  It 
is  the  natural  meeting  point  of  many  lines  of  railroads  and 
offers  excellent  facilities  for  the  shipment  of  goods.  There 
are  many  manufacturing  interests  in  the  city  and  its  pro- 
gressive spirit  is  noted  the  country  over. 

There  are  many  large  cities  located  in  the  great  Mis- 
sissippi Valley.  This  area  has  such  an  extensive  range  of 
agricultural  products  that  its  export  trade  is  important. 
Besides  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  which  is  the  most  important 
river  port,  there  are  Davenport,  Burlington,  Memphis, 
Vicksburg  and  Baton  Rouge,  all  of  which  have  river  con- 
nections. Most  of  these  cities  are  the  centers  of  railroad 
and  manufacturing  interests  as  well  as  of  agricultural  activ- 
ities. In  the  large  lumber  regions  of  Michigan  there  have 
grown  up  industrial  centers  whose  principal  interests  are 
furniture  and  wagon  manufactories.  Grand  Rapids,  Jack- 
son  and  Detroit  are  three  cities  that  have  such  interests. 
Detroit  is  situated  on  the  Detroit  River  between  Lake  St. 
Clair  and  Lake  Erie  and  is  an  important  center  for  both 
Canadian  and  American  railroads.  On  the  western  shore 
of  Lake  Michigan,  north  of  Chicago,  is  the  city  of  Mil- 
waukee, which  has  large  breweries.  This  city  is  situated  in 


Locations  of  Our  Great  Cities 


153 


the  great  grain  section  of  our  country  and  is  settled  largely 
by  people  of  German  descent. 

West  of  the  Mississippi  River  are  many  centers  that 
engage  in  the  cattle  trade.  These  cities  are  located  in  the 
prairie  section  and  are  generally  on  the  banks  of  some  river. 
Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  Kansas  City,  Kansas,  have  large 
packing  establishments  where  thousands  of  cattle  are  pre- 
pared for  the  markets  annually.  North  of  these  cities  in 
the  state  of  Nebraska  is  the  city  of  Omaha  which  also  has 
large  packing  house  interests. 

In  the  Plateau  section,  most  of  the  centers  of  population 
are  located  in  the  mining  and  sheep  grazing  areas.  Denver, 
Leadville  and  Cripple  Creek  in  Colorado  are  three  cities  that 
have  become  prosperous  on  account  of  their  mining  inter- 
ests. In  Montana  the  larger  cities  are  located  in  the  western 
part  of  the  state  where  the  mines  abound.  Anaconda,  Butte 
and  Helena  have  important  mines  near  them.  In  the  middle 
and  eastern  parts  of  this  state  the  cities  are  important 
lumber  and  sheep  markets.  In  Utah  the  cities  are  located 
in  the  region  about  Great  Salt  Lake  where  irrigation  has 
made  the  land  productive.  Salt  Lake  City  is  the  most  im- 
portant commercial  center  of  the  state.  The  cities  of  Ne- 
vada are  situated  in  the  western  part  of  that  state.  Reno 
is  a large  commercial  city  and  Carson  City  is  located  near 
the  mining  interests.  Reno  is  on  one  of  the  important 
transcontinental  railroads  and  is  an  important  railroad 
town. 


154 


Our  Country 


THE  GOLDEN  GATE 
(Copyright  Detroit  Photographic  Co.) 

The  four  most  important  seaport  towns  on  the  Pacific 

coast  are  Tacoma  and  Seattle  in  Washington,  Portland  in 

Oregon  and  San  Francisco  in  California.  The  locations  of 

Tacoma  and  Seattle  have  been  determined  by  Puget  Sound, 

an  arm  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  that  reaches  into  the  state  of 

Washington.  Portland  is  located  on  the  Willamette  River 

in  a fertile  valley  of  the  same  name.  The  city  of  Spokane 

on  the  Spokane  River  owes  its  position  to  the  water  power 

. 

found  there  and  the  rich  country  around  it.  Walla  Walla  in 
the  southeastern  part  of  the  state  of  Washington  is  in  the  i 
center  of  a great  fruit  and  grain  area. 

The  great  valley  of  California  has  a number  of  large 


Locations  of  Our  Great  Cities 


155 


cities  in  it  which  owe  their  locations  to  the  fruit  and  grain 
produced  there.  Sacramento,  Stockton,  Fresno  and  Bakers- 
field are  four  of  the  important  cities  in  this  valley.  They 
are  located  on  rivers  and  are  railroad  centers.  San  Fran- 
cisco upon  a bay  of  the  same  name  is  the  largest  city  of  the 
) western  coast.  It  owes  its  growth  to  the  wonderful  bay 
and  fine  harbor.  Across  this  bay  from  San  Francisco  is 
Oakland,  which  is  really  a suburb  of  the  larger  city  and  is 
the  terminus  of  the  eastern  railroads.  In  the  southern 
part  of  the  state  is  the  important  city  of  Los  Angeles.  It 
is  noted  for  its  fine,  balmy  climate,  and  is  a favorite  winter 
resort  for  eastern  tourists. 


THE  NEW  ENGLAND  STATES 


The  section  known  as  the  New  England  States  is  located 
in  the  extreme  northeastern  part  of  our  country.  These 
states  form  a distinct  physiographic  division.  Nature  has 
set  them  apart  from  the  rest  of  our  country  in  their  struc- 
ture, climate  and  physical  conditions.  The  northern  and 
western  parts  of  New  England  contain  many  mountain 
ranges  belonging  to  the  Appalachian  system.  While  these 
mountains  are  not  generally  high,  there  are  a few  noted 
peaks,  such  as  Katahdin,  Washington,  Monadnock  and 
Wachusett.  As  the  mountain  ranges  extend  southward  into 
Connecticut  they  lose  their  distinctive  mountain  features 
and  become  rolling  hills.  The  rest  of  the  New  England  sec- 
tion belongs  to  the  Piedmont  Plateau  and  consists  of  hilly 

j 

uplands  that  have  been  eroded  until  deep  valleys  have  been 
formed  by  the  many  rivers. 

In  the  northwestern  part  of  the  state  of  Vermont,  the 
rivers  all  drain  into  Lake  Champlain.  Between  the  Green 
Mountains  and  the  White  Mountains  extends  the  long  valley 
of  the  Connecticut  River.  This  river  rises  in  the  northern 
part  of  New  Hampshire  and  flows  south  between  that  state 
and  Vermont,  crosses  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  and 
empties  into  Long  Island  Sound.  This  is  the  largest  and 
longest  river  of  the  New  England  States  and  its  valley  is 


The  New  England  States 


157 


both  broad  and  fertile.  There  are  many  other  small  rivers 
that  flow  to  the  south  and  furnish  water-power  to  the  mills 
located  on  their  banks.  All  of  the  other  large  rivers  of  New 
England  drain  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  important 
rivers  in  Maine  are  the  Penobscot,  Kennebec  and  Andro- 
scoggin. These  rivers  rise  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state 
amid  valuable  timber  lands  and  are  often  used  for  floating 

I the  logs  to  sawmills  located  on  their  banks.  The  Merrimac 
River  rises  in  the  middle  part  of  the  state  of  New  Hamp- 
shire and  flows  south  into  Massachusetts.  After  entering 
the  latter  state  it  turns  to  the  east  and  empties  into  the  At- 
lantic Ocean.  This  river  furnishes  important  water  power 
to  many  mills  located  on  its  banks.  In  eastern  Massachu- 
setts and  northern  Rhode  Island  are  other  small  rivers  that 
are  used  for  motive  power. 

There  are  a great  many  beautiful  and  useful  lakes  in 
the  New  England  States.  Most  of  the  lakes  and  many  of 
the  river  valleys  have  been  shaped  by  the  great  ice  sheet 
that  once  covered  all  this  section.  While  this  ice  sheet 
was  doing  its  work,  a section  of  the  country  along  the  coast 
settled  down  into  the  ocean.  The  salt  water  of  the  sea 
flowed  up  the  narrow  valleys  between  the  hills  and  left  the 
tops  of  the  ridges  sticking  up  as  peninsulas  or  islands.  As 
most  of  the  mountain  ranges  lay  at  right  angles  to  the  sea 
coast  the  waters  of  the  sea  could  flow  far  up  the  intervening 
valleys  and  make  a very  irregular  coastline.  After  the  ice 


158 


Our  Country 


sheet  melted  away,  the  hill  tops  became  covered  with  for- 
ests. 

There  are  many  falls  and  rapids  in  the  rivers  of  New 
England.  Soon  after  the  colonists  settled  in  this  section, 
small  mills  were  erected  on  the  Merrimac  and  Blackstone 
Rivers.  At  first  the  manufacturing  was  crudely  done,  but 
as  machinery  was  improved  the  products  turned  out  were 
of  much  better  workmanship.  Today  the  mills  of  New 
England  supply  our  markets  with  some  of  the  best  woven 
goods  to  be  found  anywhere.  As  Massachusetts  was  the 
first  state  to  develop  rapidly,  manufacturing  was  naturally 
centered  in  this  region.  As  the  other  states  increased  in 
population,  mills  were  built  on  most  of  the  rivers.  Along 
the  southern  part  of  Maine  and  in  the  southern  section  of 
New  Hampshire,  cotton  and  woolen  goods  were  manufac- 
tured. The  two  southern  states  of  this  group  were  slower 
in  developing  their  mill  industry  because  their  soil  was  suit- 
able for  agricultural  products. 

The  New  England  States  contain  valuable  deposits  of 
building  stone.  Granite,  marble,  slate  and  sandstone  are 
found  in  abundance.  New  Hampshire  is  sometimes  called 
the  Granite  State  on  account  of  the  quantity  of  that  material 
which  is  found  in  the  hills.  Vermont  has  some  of  the  finest 
marble  and  granite  to  be  found  anywhere.  Both  marble  and 
granite  are  quarried  from  near  the  surface  and  transported 
to  factories  where  they  are  cut  and  polished  for  the  market. 


The  New  England  States 


159 


These  stone  quarries  employ  thousands  of  workers  and  sup- 
port many  families  that  depend  on  them  for  their  exist- 
ence. 

The  forests  of  New  England  were  once  the  chief  source 
of  all  our  lumber,  but  they  are  now  greatly  reduced 
by  extensive  cutting.  Maine,  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont 
are  the  states  from  which  most  of  the  lumber  is  obtained  at 
the  present  time.  Many  hardwood  trees,  valuable  for  all 
forms  of  building,  are  found  in  these  forests.  Pine,  spruce 
and  hemlock  grow  in  abundance  in  Maine.  Besides  these 
trees,  chestnuts  and  maples  cover  the  sides  of  many  of  the 
mountains.  Much  of  the  lumber  derived  from  this  source 
was  used  in  the  past  for  ship  building  and  such  cities  as 
Bath  and  Gloucester  were  noted  for  their  shipyards. 

Nearly  all  the  river  valleys  are  extremely  fertile  and 
some  of  the  uplands  contain  good  soil  for  agricultural  pur- 
poses. The  sides  of  the  mountains  are  well  adapted  to  graz- 
ing or  to  the  raising  of  small  fruits.  The  Connecticut 
Valley  is  the  largest  important  agricultural  area  of  these 
states.  It  is  extremely  fertile  and  produces  good  crops  of 
wheat,  oats,  corn  and  tobacco.  Owing  to  the  excellent  graz- 
ing land  to  be  found  there,  New  England  ranks  high  in  its 
dairy  products.  The  broad,  grassy  valleys  of  Vermont  con- 
tain numerous  herds  of  dairy  cattle.  The  state  ranks  second 
to  New  York  as  a great  eastern  dairy  state.  On  the  hills  of 
western  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  are  many  flocks  of 


160 


Our  Country 


sheep.  Some  of  these  sheep  are  pure  bred  Merinos  that 
were  bred  from  animals  imported  directly  from  Spain. 

Although  the  valleys  and  level  lands  are  used  for  farm- 
ing purposes,  the  New  England  States  cannot  compete  with 
the  West  as  a farming  country.  Nearly  all  the  farms  are 
small  and  produce  only  sufficient  material  to  supply  the 
local  markets.  New  England  is  essentially  a grazing  and 
manufacturing  region ; not  an  agricultural  one. 

One  of  the  important  industries  of  this  group  of  states 
is  fishing.  The  waters  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  contain  many 
valuable  fish  and  some  of  the  seaport  towns  of  both  Massa- 
chusetts and  Maine  owe  their  importance  to  their  fish  trade. 
The  cities  of  Boston,  Marblehead,  Salem,  Gloucester,  Ports- 
mouth and  Portland  have  always  been  great  fishing  centers. 
Such  fish  as  cod,  halibut  and  mackerel  form  the  chief  prod- 
uct caught  in  these  eastern  waters.  During  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  this  fishing  industry  was  so  important  that  many 
of  the  other  colonies  depended  on  the  New  England  colonies 
for  their  supply  of  fish. 

The  states  of  this  section  are  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
Vermont,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut. 
Massachusetts  was  one  of  the  most  important  and  prosper- 
ous of  the  original  thirteen  colonies.  The  state  of  Rhode 
Island  was  established  by  Roger  Williams  as  a place  of  ref- 
uge for  those  who  could  not  live  in  peace  with  the  settlers 
in  Massachusetts.  Maine  was  a part  of  the  Massachusetts 


The  New  England  States 


161 


ALONG  THE  ISTEW  ENGLAND  COAST 
(Courtesy  B.  & M.  R.  R.) 

for  a good  many  years,  but  was  finally  ceded  to  the 
National  Government  and  became  an  independent  state. 

Maine  is  the  most  northern  of  the  eastern  states.  Its 
coast  line  is  broken  and  rugged,  having  many  bays  and 
Its  rivers  and  lakes  are  valuable  for  the  fish  that 
they  produce  and  the  means  that  they  offer  for  communica- 
tion with  the  interior  parts  of  the  state.  The  whole  north- 
ern section  of  the  state  is  covered  with  hardwood  and  soft 
pine  trees,  and  lumbering  is  an  important  industry.  Most 
of  the  cities  and  towns  are  located  along  the  coast  or  on  the 
banks  of  the  rivers.  Fishing  is  an  important  occupation  of 
these  coastal  towns.  The  city  of  Portland  in  the  southwest- 


162 


Our  Country 


ern  part  of  the  state  is  the  largest  city  of  Maine.  It  is  a 
seaport  and  has  an  extensive  foreign  commerce.  Lewiston 
on  the  Androscoggin  River  has  large  cotton  mills.  This 
city  and  several  others  are  important  coast  manufacturing 
centers.  Bangor  on  the  Penobscot  is  the  gateway  for  the 
lumber  trade  of  the  North.  Many  large  sawmills  are 
located  in  this  city  and  in  the  region  surrounding.  Au- 
gusta on  the  Kennebec  River  is  the  capital.  The  coast  of 
Maine  is  so  rough  and  irregular  that  it  affords  many  beau- 
tiful harbors  for  pleasure  resorts.  The  summer  climate  is 
pleasant,  being  tempered  by  the  Atlantic  winds. 

The  state  of  New  Hampshire  is  sometimes  called  the 
summer  hotel  of  New  England.  A large  part  of  the  reve- 
nue of  this  state'  is  derived  from  its  summer  tourists.  The 
northern  section  of  the  state  is  rough  and  rugged,  with 
beautiful  mountains  and  valleys;  the  southern  part  con- 
sists of  low  rolling  hills.  There  are  many  beautiful  lakes, 
the  largest  and  most  important  of  which  is  Winnepesaukee. 
This  state  has  very  little  seacoast,  but  there  is  one  good  har- 
bor at  the  city  of  Portsmouth.  Concord,  the  capital,  is 
noted  for  its  granite  industry.  Manchester  and  Nashua 
have  large  cotton  mills.  The  last  two  cities  are  located  on 
the  Merrimac  River  and  use  the  water-power  from  the  rap- 
ids and  falls  near  which  they  are  situated.  In  the  northern 
part  of  the  state  the  cities  of  Bethlehem,  Berlin,  North  Con- 
way and  Franconia  are  noted  summer  resorts.  They  are 


The  New  England  States  163 


SCENE  IN  THE  WHITE  MOUNTAINS 
(Courtesy  B.  & M.  R.  R.) 

located  amid  the  White  Mountains  where  the  scenery  is 
beautiful  and  the  summer  climate  exceedingly  pleasant. 
This  section  of  New  Hampshire  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as 
the  Switzerland  of  America.  The  beauty  of  its  mountains 
and  valleys  is  not  surpassed  by  that  of  any  other  area  in 
our  country. 

The  eastern  part  of  the  state  of  Vermont  contains  the 
fertile  valley  of  the  Connecticut.  Vermont  is  one  of  the 
great  dairy  states  of  the  union.  It  was  the  first  state  to 
be  added  to  the  thirteen  original  states.  In  the  western 
part  are  large  deposits  of  valuable  marble.  This  stone  has 
' a fine  grain  and  is  extensively  used  in  buildings  throughout 


164 


Our  Country 


our  country.  The  hills  of  Vermont  also  furnish  a great  deal 
of  lumber.  The  rivers  that  flow  into  Lake  Champlain  are 
used  to  float  the  logs  cut  in  the  forests  to  the  sawmills  in  the 
lower  lands.  Rutland  in  the  middle  part  of  the  state  is  the 
center  of  the  marble  industry.  Barre  is  noted  for  the 
granite  that  is  found  in  its  section.  St.  Albans  is  important 
on  account  of  its  dairy  industry.  Burlington  is  the  only 
large  port  of  importance.  Through  this  city  much  lumber 
is  exported. 

Massachusetts  is  the  oldest  and  most  important  of  the 
New  England  States.  West  of  the  Connecticut  River  it  is 
very  hilly.  The  Hoosac  Mountains  and  the  Berkshire  Hills 
cross  the  state  from  north  to  south.  East  of  the  Connecti- 
cut River  the  state  consists  of  low  rolling  hills  that  have 
been  worn  down.  The  eastern  section  is  low  and  sandy, 
terminating  in  a peninsula  called  Cape  Cod.  There  are  many 
indentations  of  the  ocean,  such  as  Boston  Bay,  Cape  Cod 
Bay  and  Buzzard  Bay,  that  offer  good  anchorage  to  sailing 
vessels. 

Boston  is  the  capital  and  chief  city  of  the  state.  It  is 
the  largest  and  most  important  city  of  New  England.  It 
is  located  on  Boston  harbor,  and  is  the  fifth  city  in  size  in 
our  country.  It  is  connected  by  many  railroads  with  the 
great  wheat  fields  of  the  West  and  with  the  agricultural 
areas  of  Connecticut.  It  has  a good  harbor  and  a large 
foreign  trade,  ranking  second  among  the  exporting  cities  of 
the  country.  Many  of  the  products  manufactured  in  the 


The  New  England  States  165 

mills  of  New  England  are  sent  to  Boston  to  be  shipped  from 
there  to  other  ports.  The  city  also  has  large  manufactur- 
ing industries. 

Worcester  ranks  next  to  Boston  in  size  and  is  an  im- 
portant manufacturing  center.  It  is  located  in  the  east 
central  part  of  the  state  and  has  exceptional  railroad  facili- 
ties. Lowell  and  Haverhill  on  the  Merrimac  River  are  cot- 
ton and  woolen  manufacturing  centers.  Fall  River  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  state,  on  a river  of  the  same  name, 
also  has  large  cotton  mills.  Lynn  and  Brockton  are  lead- 
ing boot  and  shoe  manufacturing  cities.  Springfield,  on 
the  Connecticut  River,  has  important  mills  and  is  a great 
railroad  center.  The  United  States  has  an  armory  there 
and  there  are  large  revolver  and  rifle  factories  within  the 
city  limits.  Holyoke,  just  north  of  Springfield,  has  impor- 

Itant  paper  mills. 

The  state  of  Rhode  Island  is  the  smallest  state  in  the 
union.  It  was  founded  by  Roger  Williams  who  left  the 
Puritan  colony  at  Salem  and  settled  at  what  is  now  Provi- 
dence. He  hoped  to  be  free  from  religious  persecution  in 
the  region  to  which  he  came.  Rhode  Island  is  divided  by 
an  arm  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean  called  Narragansett  Bay. 
This  bay  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  bodies  of  water  on 
the  eastern  coast  of  our  country.  It  has  good  fishing  and 
many  islands  which  have  become  pleasant  summer  resorts. 
Providence,  the  capital  of  the  state,  is  the  second  city  in 
size  in  New  England.  It  is  located  at  the  head  of  Narra- 


166 


Our  Country 


gansett  Bay  and  is  noted  for  its  large  woolen  mills.  The 
city  of  Newport,  on  the  island  of  Rhode  Island,  was  one  of 
the  capitals  of  the  state.  The  legislature  used  to  meet  one 
year  at  Newport  and  the  next  year  at  Providence.  New- 
port is  now  a very  noted  summer  resort,  many  people 
going  there  for  the  warmer  season  of  the  year.  Pawtucket 
and  Woonsocket  have  large  cotton  mills. 

The  state  of  Connecticut  consists  of  rolling  hills,  fertile 
valleys  and  a low  seacoast.  The  state  is  bordered  on  the 
south  by  Long  Island  Sound,  a beautiful  body  of  water 
protected  from  the  storms  of  the  ocean  by  the  island  of 
Long  Island.  The  Connecticut  River  cuts  the  state  into  two 
parts  and  forms  a most  important  waterway.  Small  farms 
for  the  growing  of  agricultural  crops  and  fruit  are  culti- 
vated throughout  the  state.  New  Haven  on  the  southern 
coast  is  a large  railroad  center  and  an  important  seaport 
town.  It  has  an  extensive  coastwise  trade  and  manufac- 
tures fire  arms  and  many  articles  of  hardware.  Hartford 
is  the  capital  and  is  located  at  the  head  of  navigation  on 
the  Connecticut  River.  Many  insurance  companies  have 
headquarters  there.  Waterbury  is  noted  for  its  watches  and 
clocks.  The  city  of  Meriden  is  known  for  its  silver-plated 
ware.  Both  of  these  cities  are  situated  in  the  central  part 
of  the  state.  New  London  and  Bridgeport  are  two  seaport 
towns  that  have  important  lines  of  steamers  running  to 
New  York. 


THE  CENTRAL  STATES 


That  section  of  our  country  known  as  the  Central  States 
embraces  the  region  west  of  the  New  England  States  and 

1 north  of  the  states  of  North  Carolina,  Tennessee  and  Ar- 
kansas. This  section  extends  west  to  the  Rocky  Mountains 
and  occupies  the  most  fertile  part  of  the  United  States.  Its 
area  is  so  large  that  we  sometimes  divide  it  into  four  sec- 
tions that  we  may  study  it  better.  The  sections  into  which 
we  divide  this  part  of  our  country  are  known  as  the  Atlantic 
States,  the  Ohio  Valley  States,  the  Lake  States  and  the  Mis- 
souri River  States.  The  Atlantic  States  comprise  seven 
states  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard  from  New  York  to  Vir- 
ginia. The  Ohio  Valley  States  are  Indiana,  Ohio,  Illinois 
and  Kentucky.  The  Lake  States  are  Michigan,  Wisconsin 
and  Minnesota.  The  other  states  of  this  section  belong  to 
the  Missouri  River  group. 

The  greater  part  of  this  central  area  lies  within  the 
Mississippi  Basin.  The  Atlantic  group  of  states  is  situated 
in  the  Appalachian  Highlands  and  the  Atlantic  Slope.  This 
eastern  group  is  the  mining  area  of  the  region,  although  a 
good  deal  of  mining  is  done  in  Indiana,  Missouri  and  Min- 
nesota. The  main  industry  of  the  central  part  of  the 
Central  States  is  agriculture;  and  the  large  food  crops, 
such  as  wheat  and  corn,  come  from  this  section.  The  Cen- 


168 


Our  Country 


tral  States  are  often  spoken  of  as  the  great  food  producing  I 
states  of  our  country. 

The  northern  part  of  the  Central  States  is  compara- 
tively level.  The  land  consists  of  rolling  plains  that  are 
rich  and  fertile,  with  few  high  elevations.  In  the  southern 
region  are  the  Ozark  Mountains.  In  the  extreme  north- 
western part  are  the  Black  Hills.  These  two  small  high- 
land systems  are  the  only  elevations  to  be  found  in  this 
great  central  lowland.  The  climate  is  favorable  to  all  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  the  summers  being  warm  enough  to  al- 
low a good  growth  of  the  crops  that  are  raised.  With  the  9 
exception  of  some  parts  of  the  Missouri  River  group,  the 
rainfall  is  sufficient. 

The  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries  form  an  excellent 
drainage  system  for  this  part  of  our  country.  The  main 
river  is  navigable  almost  to  its  headwaters  and  its  chief 
tributaries  are  good  waterways  for  the  transportation  of 
heavy  cargoes.  The  Ohio  River  is  navigable  as  far  as 
Pittsburg,  and  much  of  the  coal  mined  in  that  region  is 
transported  in  barges  to  the  Gulf  coast.  Some  of  the  wheat 
raised  is  carried-  by  boats  down  the  Mississippi  to  the  cities 
in  the  southern  section  of  our  country.  The  rivers  of  the 
Atlantic  group  of  states  are  small,  swift  flowing  and  are 
not  navigable  for  any  great  distance.  They  flow  over 
rapids  and  waterfalls  and  furnish  excellent  power  for  the 
mills  built  on  their  banks. 


The  Central  States 


169 


A FARM  IN  THE  CENTRAL  STATES 

With  the  migration  of  our  people  to  the  West,  the  states 
of  the  upper  Mississippi  Valley  were  settled  first.  As  for- 
eign immigrants  came  to  our  shores,  many  of  them  crossed 
the  mountains  and  settled  the  fertile  lands  in  the  Middle 
West.  Many  of  these  people  were  farmers  from  Germany, 
Sweden,  and  other  countries  of  Europe.  They  are  noted 
for  their  industry  and  thrift  and  have  become  some  of  our 
best  citizens.  With  the  settlement  of  this  middle  western 
country,  waterways  and  railroads  rapidly  developed  until 
now  every  part  of  the  area  has  easy  communication  with  the 
large  seaports  on  the  east.  Many  of  the  transcontinental 
railroads  pass  across  the  Central  States  and  connect  the 
large  cities.  Such  cities  as  Buffalo,  Cleveland,  Chicago, 


170 


Our  Country 


Kansas  City  and  St.  Louis  owe  much  of  their  size  and  im- 
portance to  the  railroads  that  pass  through  them. 

Besides  being  rich  in  minerals  and  timber,  that  part 
of  the  Appalachian  Highlands  located  in  the  Atlantic  group 
of  states  offers  many  advantages  for  fruit  raising  and 
grazing.  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  the  two  northern 
states  of  this  eastern  group,  have  many  dairy  farms,  many 
valuable  herds  of  cows  and  excellent  creameries.  These 
states  are  so  densely  populated  and  have  so  many  large 
cities  that  the  surrounding  farms  find  a ready  market  for 
milk,  vegetables  and  small  fruits.  New  York  City  has  a 
population  of  almost  five  million  and  draws  on  the  western 
and  northern  parts  of  that  state  for  its  food  products.  The 
city  of  Philadelphia  is  supplied  by  the  farms  located  in  the 
eastern  section  of  Pennsylvania.  Corn,  hay  and  oats  are 
raised  extensively  for  home  consumption  throughout  this 
region. 

Most  of  the  cities  of  Virginia  are  centers  of  agricul- 
tural industry,  while  the  cities  of  West  Virginia  engage 
mostly  in  mining.  Throughout  the  low  coastal  region  of 
the  state  of  Virginia  are  large  plantations  that  produce  a 
fine  quality  of  tobacco.  This  product  is  exported  to  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  world  and  yields  an  important  revenue  for 
the  people  of  Virginia.  On  the  highland  sections  of  West 
Virginia  much  fruit  is  raised.  The  climate  of  these  states 
is  especially  adapted  to  the  raising  of  apples  and  small 
fruits. 


The  Central  States  171 


STOCK  FARM 
(Courtesy  Flying-  D Ranch) 


Most  of  the  large  cities  of  the  Atlantic  group  of  states 
are  situated  on  the  seacoast.  Many  of  them  have  excel- 
lent harbors  and  a good  foreign  trade.  New  York  and 
Philadelphia  are  the  largest  seaports  of  this  section  and 
both  have  excellent  railroad  facilities.  The  leading  cities 
of  the  western  section  of  this  group  of  states  are  Buffalo  in 
western  New  York,  Erie  and  Pittsburg  in  western  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Wheeling  in  West  Virginia.  Buffalo  is  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  Erie  Canal  and  has  become  an  important  city 
because  at  this  place  cargoes  shipped  from  the  West  must 
be  transshipped  from  the  large  vessels  in  which  they  are 
brought  to  the  canal  boats  of  the  Erie  Canal.  Buffalo  is  also 
a manufacturing  town.  Pittsburg  is  the  center  of  the  coal 


172 


Our  Country 


and  iron  industry  of  Pennsylvania.  It  has  important  iron 
mills,  and  is  the  leading  city  in  the  manufacture  of  glass. 
Wheeling  in  West  Virginia  is  the  center  of  the  coal  mining 
industry  of  that  state. 

The  four  Ohio  Valley  States  belong  to  the  prairie  sec- 
tion of  our  country.  Their  soil  is  rich  and  fertile  and  well 
adapted  to  the  growing  of  corn.  Very  little  fertilizing  is 
done  by  the  farmers  because  the  soil  is  so  rich  in  plant  food 
that  but  little  trouble  is  experienced  in  raising  good  crops. 
Hogs  will  be  found  wherever  corn  is  raised,  and  these  states, 
therefore,  especially  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois,  are  hog 
growing  states.  The  northern  parts  of  these  states  have 
good  market  gardens  and  many  vegetables  are  grown  there. 
One  of  the  products  of  the  Ohio  Valley  States  that  has  be- 
come noted  is  the  Concord  grape  which  is  raised  extensively 
in  the  state  of  Ohio.  This  state  also  raises  many  sheep. 
The  products  of  its  farms  are  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the] 
country. 

Kentucky,  the  southernmost  state  of  the  Central  Ohio 
Valley  group,  is  milder  in  climate  than  any  of  the  other 
three.  It  presents  physical  features  which  the  others  do 
not  have.  The  eastern  section  is  high  and  mountainous  and 
is  a rich  mining  area.  The  western  section  is  low  and  level, 
and  tobacco  is  extensively  raised  there.  Central  Kentucky 
is  rolling,  and  is  noted  for  its  wonderful  blue  grass.  This 
grass  is  especially  nutritious  for  horses  and  cattle.  Ken- 


The  Central  States 


173 


tucky  is  noted  for  its  fine  running,  trotting  and  saddle 
horses.  Louisville  on  the  Ohio  River  is  the  principal  city  of 
Kentucky,  while  Lexington  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state 
and  Paducah  in  the  west  are  important  cities  of  these  sec- 
tions. Frankfort  in  the  eastern  part  is  the  capital. 

Many  of  the  cities  of  the  Ohio  Valley  States  are  large 
manufacturing  centers.  Cleveland,  Cincinnati  and  Indian- 
apolis are  noted  manufacturing  cities.  The  farmers  of  this 
section  have  made  great  progress.  They  enjoy  most  of  the 
modern  conveniences  in  their  homes  which  are  connected 
with  the  large  cities  by  telephone  lines  and  trolley  cars. 
The  prosperity  of  the  Middle  West  has  been  so  great  within 
recent  years  that  the  farmers  have  become  an  independent 
class  and  many  of  them  ride  to  their  work  in  the  fields  in 
automobiles. 

The  Lake  States  are  situated  in  the  north  central  part 
of  our  country.  They  are  Michigan,  Wisconsin  and  Minne- 
sota. These  states  have  all  been  heavily  timbered  in  the 
past,  but  much  of  the  timber  has  been  cut.  Some  of  the 
finest  hardwoods  that  are  used  in  our  markets  come  from 
this  area.  Besides  its  wealth  in  timber,  the  northern  area 
has  valuable  mineral  deposits.  The  copper  and  iron  found 
at  the  western  end  of  Lake  Superior  are  the  most  valuable 
deposits  of  the  kinds  in  our  country.  The  lakes  that  bor- 
der these  states  offer  excellent  facilities  for  the  transpor- 
tation of  raw  products  to  the  eastern  manufacturing  cen- 
ters. The  iron  mined  along  Lake  Superior  is  taken  to  the 


174 


Our  Country 


cities  of  Cleveland  and  Pittsburg  to  be  manufactured  into 
useful  articles.  Pittsburg  and  Cleveland  are  near  the  coal 
areas,  whereas  no  coal  is  found  about  Lake  Superior.  As 
it  takes  about  three  tons  of  coal  to  smelt  one  ton  of  iron 
ore,  it  is  easier  and  cheaper  to  move  the  iron  from  Lake 
Superior  to  Pittsburg  than  it  would  be  to  take  three  times 
the  weight  in  coal  from  Pittsburg  to  Lake  Superior.  The 
southern  parts  of  these  states  are  agricultural  areas  that  j 
send  most  of  their  products  to  such  cities  as  Chicago  and 
St.  Paul. 

Chicago  is  the  great  commercial  center  of  this  section 
and  draws  on  all  this  region  for  its  commerce.  Lo- 
cated in  the  central  part  of  the  country,  it  has  become  a 
great  railroad  center.  Its  position  on  the  shore  of  Lake 
Michigan  commands  a good  lake  trade.  Within  recent 
years  a canal  has  been  built  which  connects  the  lake  with 
the  Illinois  River.  Thus  a water  route  to  the  south  is 
opened.  The  cities  of  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  in  Minne- 
sota are  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Mississippi.  They 
are  located  at  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  and  therefore  have 
excellent  water  power.  Being  in  the  wheat  region,  they 
are  the  natural'  wheat  manufacturing  centers.  Many  of 
the  cities  of  Michigan  are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
furniture.  On  account  of  the  excellent  timber  that  is  ob- 
tained in  the  state,  lumbering  is  a flourishing  industry. 
Grand  Rapids  in  the  southern  part  of  Michigan  is  a noted 
furniture  manufacturing  town.  Detroit  on  the  Detroit 


The  Central  States 


175 


River  is  the  center  of  the  automobile  industry.  Within  re- 
cent years  the  demand  for  automobiles  has  become  so  great 
that  their  manufacture  is  an  important  industry  of  this 
country. 

The  Missouri  River  States  consist  of  North  and  South 
Dakota,  Nebraska,  Iowa,  Kansas  and  Missouri.  With  the 
exception  of  an  area  in  the  southern  part  of  Missouri,  from 
which  iron,  coal  and  lead  are  obtained,  the  whole  of  these 
states  is  given  up  to  agricultural  pursuits.  Our  largest  corn 
and  wheat  crops  come  from  this  group  of  states.  These 
states  raise  enormous  crops  and  supply  not  only  the  mar- 
kets of  our  own  country  but  many  of  the  foreign  markets. 
Iowa  is  a leading  state  in  a great  many  agricultural  indus- 
tries. It  is  a great  corn  state,  a fine  cattle  state  and  a 
leading  hog  state. 

The  city  of  St.  Louis  on  the  Mississippi  River,  a few 
miles  south  of  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  River,  is  one  of 
the  distributing  centers  of  this  section.  St.  Louis  supplies 
these  states  with  most  of  their  manufactured  articles.  It 
is  the  gateway  of  trade  from  the  east  to  the  states 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  It  is  the  fourth  largest  city  in 
the  United  States  and  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities 
west  of  the  Mississippi  River.  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and 
Kansas  City,  Kansas,  have  large  meat  packing  estab- 
lishments second  in  size  to  those  of  Chicago.  These 
cities  and  Omaha  in  Nebraska  are  the  great  meat  packing 
centers. 


176 


Our  Country 


Besides  its  meat  packing  industries  the  city  of  Omaha 
has  extensive  breweries  and  refining  works.  Much  of 
the  metal  refined  here  comes  from  Missouri,  Wisconsin  and 
Illinois.  Missouri  and  Illinois  produce  lead  and  zinc  that  is 
very  valuable  for  manufacturing  purposes.  This  comes 
from  the  southern  section  of  Missouri  and  the  northern  part 
of  Illinois.  Several  cities  of  Southwest  Missouri  have  been 
built  up  by  the  zinc  and  lead  mines  near  them.  The  cities 
of  North  and  South  Dakota  are  largely  trade  centers  for  the 
products  of  the  farms  of  those  states.  Agricultural  ma- 
chinery is  shipped  to  these  centers  for  distribution  to  the 
large  wheat  farms  and  the  wheat  that  is  raised  upon  the 
plains  is  exchanged  for  the  eastern  products.  The  eastern 
part  of  the  Dakotas,  Nebraska  and  Kansas  are  low  and 
rolling,  but  the  western  parts  are  more  elevated.  Upon 
these  western  plains,  which  gradually  rise  towards  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  numerous  sheep  ranches  are  established. 
The  sheep  raised  on  these  ranches  are  sent  to  Kansas  City, 
Omaha  and  Chicago  to  be  slaughtered  for  the  markets. 


THE  SOUTHERN  STATES 


The  Southern  States  form  a compact  group  by  them- 
selves, having  the  same  general  climatic  conditions.  They 
are  too  far  south  to  be  great  wheat  producing  states,  but 
they  lie  within  the  area  that  produces  all  of  our  cotton.  As 
the  Central  group  of  states  is  known  as  the  food  states,  this 
Southern  group  is  known  as  the  fiber  states.  These  states 
lie  in  three  physiographic  sections  of  our  country,  the 
larger  part  being  in  the  Central  Lowlands.  The  eastern 
part  is  included  in  the  Atlantic  Slope.  The  Appalachian 
Highlands  extend  into  this  region  as  far  south  as  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  states  of  Georgia  and  Alabama. 

The  soil  in  the  Central  Lowland  area  is  largely  alluvial. 
It  is  in  this  region  that  some  of  our  large  cotton  crops 
are  produced.  The  state  of  Texas,  owing  to  the  nature  of 
its  soil  and  climate,  produces  the  largest  yield  of  cotton 
of  any  southern  state.  Georgia,  on  the  east,  produces 
the  second  largest  yield.  The  latter  state  is  located  in 
the  path  of  the  southern  winds  that  bring  rain  from  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  It  is  protected  on  the  north  from  the  cold 
winds  by  the  ranges  of  the  Appalachian  Highlands.  The 
greater  part  of  the  state  is  low  and  therefore  has  a climate 
suitable  for  the  production  of  subtropical  crops  such  as 
cotton. 


178 


Our  Country 


PICKING  COTTON 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 

The  highland  areas  of  the  eastern  states  of  this  group 
and  of  Western  Arkansas  are  noted  fruit  regions.  Besides 
fruits,  the  mountains  produce  valuable  timber.  The  most 
important  lumber,  however,  comes  from  the  lowlands.  In 
the  past,  these  lowlands  were  covered  with  a dense  growth 
of  long  leaf  pine.  This  pine  is  peculiar  to  the  Southern 
States  and  is  a most  valuable  product.  The  trees  are  tall 
and  straight,  and  easily  cut  into  commercial  lumber.  Be- 
sides the  wood  that  these  trees  furnish,  the  long  leaf  pine 
supplies  us  with  turpentine,  a sap  that  comes  from  the  tree 
and  which  is  used  in  mixing  certain  kinds  of  paints. 

The  southern  coast  of  this  group  of  states  is  being  grad- 
ually built  up  by  the  currents  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and 


The  Southern  States 


179 


by  the  forming  of  the  Mississippi  delta.  A large  part  of 
the  state  of  Louisiana  has  been  built  by  the  Mississippi 
River  during  comparatively  recent  years.  On  the  coast  of 
Texas,  there  are  many  islands  and  bars  that  have  been 
formed  by  the  Gulf  currents.  These  formations  make  the 
coast  of  this  state  more  regular  in  outline.  Much  of  this 
new  formed  land  is  partly  covered  with  water,  making  ex- 
cellent rice  fields. 

The  harbors  along  the  Gulf  coast  are  not  so  good  as 
those  of  the  Atlantic  coast.  Pensacola  in  western  Florida 
has  a good  natural  harbor.  The  harbor  of  Galveston,  Texas, 
is  mainly  artificial.  The  city,  built  on  an  island,  was  almost 
destroyed  in  1900  by  a furious  storm  that  swept  the  city 
with  destructive  winds  and  waves.  Since  that  time  the  city 
has  been  raised  and  its  water  front  protected  by  large  piers 
and  breakwaters.  Today  the  harbor  of  Galveston  is  one  of 
the  best  to  be  found  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

In  the  western  section  of  Texas  and  Oklahoma  are  large 
plains  that  are  valuable  for  cattle  grazing.  This  region  is 
called  Staked  Plains,  and  it  produces  some  of  the  best  beef 
cattle  to  be  found  in  our  country.  This  section  is  so  large 

and  level  that  it  is  especially  well  adapted  for  large  ranches. 

' 

The  ranches  are  sometimes  larger  than  whole  counties  in 
our  eastern  states  and  thousands  of  cattle  graze  over  them. 
During  certain  times  in  the  year  these  cattle  are  rounded 
up  and  shipped  to  the  markets  of  the  Middle  West  to  be 
| slaughtered. 


180 


Our  Country 


As  manufacturing  has  developed  in  the  Southern  States, 
the  prosperity  of  the  people  has  increased.  Today  the  large 
cities  have  important  manufacturing  plants  and  are  pro- 
ducing many  of  the  staple  articles  to  be  found  in  our  mar- 
kets. The  introduction  of  electricity  as  a motive  power 
has  enabled  many  mills  to  be  erected  in  various  parts  of 
the  country.  In  the  highlands  of  the  states,  the  rivers  fur- 
nish power  that  can  be  converted  into  electricity  and  this 
electricity  is  conducted  many  miles  to  the  mills  that  need  it. 

Three  of  these  Southern  States,  North  Carolina,  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia,  were  members  of  tfre  thirteen  orig- 
inal colonies  that  formed  the  United  States,  and  were  in- 
cluded as  states  in  the  first  confederation  of  our  country. 
Florida,  the  fourth  state  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  was  a 
province  of  Spain  and  was  acquired  by  the  United  States 
Government  after  the  Union  was  formed.  North  Carolina 
and  South  Carolina  are  noted  market  garden  states.  Some 
of  the  vegetables  and  many  of  the  small  fruits  sold  in  our 
markets  are  raised  along  the  coastal  plains  of  these  states. 
Cotton  is  raised  as  far  north  as  certain  parts  of  North  Caro- 
lina, but  this  state  is  in  the  tobacco  area  and  lies  too  far 
north  for  the  raising  of  large  cotton  crops.  Wilmington  is 
the  seaport  town  of  North  Carolina.  It  has  the  only  good 
harbor  on  the  coast  of  that  state  and  is  the  natural  gateway 
for  this  state’s  products  that  are  shipped  by  boat  to  other 
sections  of  the  country.  North  of  Wilmington  the  coast 
becomes  very  irregular.  Many  islands  and  bars  skirt  the 


The  Southern  States 


181 


shore  line  and  interfere  seriously  with  navigation.  The 
western  part  of  North  Carolina  contains  the  most  promi- 
nent peak  in  the  Appalachian  Highlands.  Mount  Mitchell  is 
the  highest  mountain  east  of  the  Rockies  and  is  noted  for 
its  rugged  beauty.  The  city  of  Asheville,  situated  in  the 
midst  of  the  mountains,  is  a noted  summer  resort. 

Charleston  is  the  seaport  of  South  Carolina  and  is  the 
only  good  harbor  on  the  coast  of  that  state.  Cotton,  vege- 
tables and  rice,  and  coni  in  the  northern  sections,  are  the 
crops  that  are  most  largely  cultivated.  In  both  this  state 
and  North  Carolina  the  lumbering  industry  is  important. 
Along  the  coast,  south  of  the  city  of  Charleston  are  large 
deposits  of  phosphate  rock.  This  rock  is  dug  out  of  the 
earth  and  used  in  the  manufacture  of  commercial  fertilizer. 
Spartanburg,  Greenville  and  other  inland  cities  are  large 
trading  and  manufacturing  centers. 

Georgia  is  the  largest  state  east  of  the  Mississippi  River. 
More  than  one-half  of  this  state  is  included  in  the  Atlantic 
Coastal  Plain.  This  plain  is  well  suited  to  the  production 
of  cotton  and  Georgia  ranks  second  in  the  cultivation  of  this 
crop.  Besides  its  wonderful  cotton  crops,  the  state  is  well 
adapted  to  the  raising  of  corn.  Within  recent  years, 
through  the  activities  of  the  National  Government  and  of 
the  State  College  of  Agriculture,  the  production  of  corn  has 
largely  increased.  In  the  northern  part  of  the  state,  among 
the  mountains,  wheat,  rye  and  many  fruits  are  raised.  The 


182 


Our  Country 


northern  and  central  parts  produce  some  of  the  best  peaches 
found  in  the  United  States. 

The  coast  of  Georgia  is  exceedingly  irregular,  having 
many  islands  and  numerous  inlets.  There  are  two  harbors ; 
Savannah  on  the  Savannah  River,  and  Brunswick  farther 
south  on  the  coast.  Savannah  is  one  of  the  leading  ports 
of  the  Southern  States.  It  is  situated  on  the  edge  of  the 
cotton  and  pine  areas  and  its  exports  of  cotton  and  the  prod- 
ucts of  the  pine  are  unsurpassed.  Atlanta,  the  capital  city, 
is  the  second  largest  city  in  the  South.  It  is  an  im- 
portant manufacturing  center.  It  is  the  natural  gateway  of 
trade  for  the  southeast  and  occupies  a commanding  indus- 
trial position. 

The  coast  of  Florida  is  exceedingly  low,  with  numerous 
sandy  beaches  and  fringing  islands.  The  east  coast  of  the 
state  contains  many  noted  winter  resorts  which  many  peo- 
ple of  the  North  visit  during  the  colder  seasons.  The 
extreme  southern  end  of  this  peninsula  is  occupied  by  a 
large  swamp  called  the  Everglades.  This  swamp  is  of  re- 
cent formation  and  contains  much  valuable  timber,  which 
will  be  marketed  when  the  marshes  are  drained.  At  the 
extreme  southern  end  is  a chain  of  islands  that  follows 
the  general  direction  of  the  coast  and  stretches  out  into 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  These  islands  are  of  coral  formation. 
On  one  of  these  islands  is  the  important  city  of  Key  West, 
which  has  been  connected  with  the  mainland  by  a railroad. 
This  road  passes  across  the  sea  from  island  to  island. 


The  Southern  States  183 

The  city  of  Tampa,  half  way  up  the  west  coast,  is  the 
most  important  port  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  state. 


A PINE  FOREST 

(Copyright  Detroit  Photographic  Co.) 


It  is  a large  tobacco  importing  city  and  has  many  cigar  fac- 
tories. The  port  of  the  eastern  coast  is  Jacksonville,  the 
leading  city  of  the  state.  Jacksonville  is  located  on  the  St. 


184 


Our  Country 


Johns  River  and  has  a large  export  trade  in  lumber  and 
oranges.  In  the  extreme  western  part  of  the  state  is  the 
city  of  Pensacola  that  at  one  time  contained  an  important 
naval  station.  This  port  controls  the  trade  of  the  western 
part  of  Florida. 

Neither  Alabama  nor  Mississippi  has  a long  seacoast. 
Mobile  is  the  only  city  of  Alabama  that  has  a harbor. 
This  city,  situated  on  Mobile  Bay,  controls  the  export 
trade  of  the  state.  Most  of  the  large  cities  of  Alabama 
are  engaged  in  manufacturing.  The  northeastern  and 
northern  parts  of  the  state  are  rich  in  coal  deposits,  and 
such  cities  as  Birmingham,  Anniston,  Bessemer  and  Mont- 
gomery have  large  manufacturing  interests.  One  of  the 
chief  manufacturing  products  of  the  state  is  iron.  Both 
Alabama  and  Mississippi  are  good  cotton  states  and  some 
rice  is  raised  along  the  coast.  In  the  northern  parts  of 
these  states,  small  fruits  are  raised.  The  cities  of  Vicks- 
burg and  Natchez  are  large  river  ports  that  are  noted  in 
the  history  of  the  South. 

West  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  north  of  Louisiana 
is  the  state  of  Arkansas.  It  contains  low  mountains  in  its 
western  section.  Some  coal  is  mined  and  a few  manufac- 
turing industries  are  located  in  this  area.  The  eastern  sec- 
tion of  the  state  is  largely  agricultural.  Corn,  cotton  and 
market  garden  crops  are  the  staple  products  raised.  Ark- 
ansas has  important  mineral  springs  in  the  central  part 


The  Southern  States  185 

of  the  state.  These  springs  are  noted  all  over  the  country 
and  many  people  take  advantage  of  their  medicinal  prop- 
erties. 

North  of  Mississippi,  Alabama  and  Georgia  is  the  state 
of  Tennessee.  This  state  resembles  Kentucky  in  its  natural 
features.  The  eastern  section  is  mountainous  and  contains 

I many  coal  mines  of  great  value.  The  western  section  is 
agricultural.  Nashville,  the  capital  of  Tennessee,  is  a large 
manufacturing  and  educational  center.  Memphis,  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi River,  is  the  largest  river  port  of  the  state.  Chat- 
tanooga and  Knoxville  in  the  east  are  large  railroad  centers 
and  important  manufacturing  towns.  Nearly  all  the  towns 
of  East  Tennessee  are  identified  with  the  mining  industry, 

1 while  the  towns  in  the  central  and  western  parts  of  the 
state  are  agricultural  centers. 

West  of  Arkansas  is  the  state  of  Oklahoma.  This  state 

I was  originally  an  Indian  reservation,  but  was  opened  up  to 
white  settlement  a few  years  ago.  It  is  distinctly  an  agri- 
cultural state,  having  a rich  soil  and  good  climate.  Nearly 
all  of  its  cities  have  grown  rapidly  within  the  last  few  years, 
land  many  important  industries  have  been  started.  Okla- 
homa City  in  the  central  part  of  the  state  is  the  capital  and 
the  largest  city. 

Two  of  the  Southern  States  west  of  the  Mississippi  and 
bordering  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  are  Louisiana  and  Texas. 
The  larger  part  of  the  state  of  Louisiana  has  been  built  by 
the  Mississippi  River  bringing  soil  from  the  north  and 


186 


Our  Country 


depositing  it  at  its  mouth.  Most  of  the  southern  section  of 
this  state  contains  excellent  soil  for  the  growing  of  rice 
and  sugar  cane.  The  central  and  northern  parts  produce 
a great  deal  of  cotton.  Valuable  timber  is  also  cut  in  the 
state  and  much  of  the  long  leaf  pine  exported  from  the 
South  comes  from  Louisiana.  The  city  of  New  Orleans, 
situated  on  a bend  in  the  Mississippi  River,  is  the  largest 
city  in  the  South.  It  has  a large  export  trade,  ranking  sec- 
ond to  the  city  of  New  York.  The  sugar  and  rice  of  this 
region  are  shipped  to  other  parts  of  the  country  from  the 
city  of  New  Orleans.  In  the  northwestern  part  of  the  state 
is  located  the  city  of  Shreveport,  a good  railroad  center  that 
also  has  important  lines  of  river  steamers.  Baton  Rouge  is 
the  capital. 

Texas  is  the  largest  state  in  the  union.  The  majority 
of  the  cities  of  this  state  are  located  in  the  southern  and 
eastern  parts.  The  western  section  is  arid  and  does  not 
produce  the  staple  agricultural  crops.  On  these  western 
areas  large  herds  of  cattle  graze,  and  beef  is  grown  for 
other  markets.  Rice,  sugar  cane  and  a great  deal  of  cotton 
is  raised  throughout  the  southern  and  central  parts  of  the 
state.  Texas  is  the  leading  cotton  producing  state  of  the 
union.  The  migration  of  the  cotton  boll  weevil  has  cut 
down  the  total  production  within  the  past  few  years,  but 
cotton  is  still  the  most  important  crop  grown.  Galveston 
is  the  largest  port  of  the  state,  and  through  this  city  rice, 
lumber  and  cotton  are  exported.  In  the  southeastern  part 


The  Southern  States 


187 


of  the  state  valuable  oil  deposits  have  been  discovered. 
Beaumont  is  the  center  of  this  oil  industry.  There  are  many 
large  cities  scattered  throughout  the  state.  Houston,  San 
Antonio  and  Laredo  are  in  the  southern  part.  Waco  and 
Austin,  the  capital,  are  in  the  central  part.  Dallas  and 
Fort  Worth  are  centers  of  trade  for  the  northern  part  of 
the  state. 


THE  PLATEAU  STATES 


The  eight  states  lying  west  of  the  Central  and  Southern 
States  are  known  as  the  Plateau  States.  They  are  crossed 
by  the  wonderful  Rocky  Mountain  Highlands  of  our  coun- 
try. They  have  no  seacoast  and  but  few  navigable  rivers. 
They  have  a high  altitude,  and,  being  protected  on  the  west 
by  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  their  climate  is  dry  and 
bracing.  The  area  in  which  these  states  are  found  consists  j 
of  numerous  mountain  ranges,  plateaus  and  basins.  In 
some  sections  the  rainfall  is  so  slight  that  no  vegetation  will 
grow.  The  mountains  located  in  the  eastern  part  of  this 
area  contain  the  highest  peaks  in  our  country.  Some  of  these 
peaks  are  so  high  that  snow  stays  on  their  tops  all  the  year 
around.  The  Rocky  Mountain  Range  is  very  rugged.  The 
chains  of  which  this  range  is  composed  extend  in  all  direc- 
tions, and,  in  many  places,  have  important  glaciers  in  their 
upper  valleys.  As  the  summer  advances  the  snow  on  the 
mountain  tops  melts  and  furnishes  the  source  of  many 
rivers.  The  average  elevation  of  this  part  of  our  country  is 
6,000  feet.  The  Rocky  Mountains  form  the  great  watershed 
of  the  United  States  and  are  sometimes  called  the  Great 
Divide. 

The  four  eastern  states  of  this  group— Montana,  Wyo- 
ming, Colorado  and  New  Mexico — are  drained  by  rivers  that 


The  Plateau  States 


189 


flow  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  In  Montana  the  rivers  be- 
long to  the  Missouri  system.  The  Platte  and  Arkansas 
Rivers  of  Wyoming  and  Colorado,  rise  in  the  central  and 
western  parts  and  flow  to  the  east.  New  Mexico  is  drained 
by  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  Canadian  rivers.  The  states  of 
Utah  and  Idaho  are  drained  by  the  Snake  River.  The 
drainage  system  of  Nevada  is  peculiar  in  its  formation; 
there  is  no  outlet  for  any  of  the  rivers  in  this  state,  most 
of  them  rising  in  the  high  mountains  and  flowing  into  the 
lower  plains.  They  disappear  through  evaporation  or  by 
sinking  into  the  ground.  In  the  northern  section  of  Utah 
there  is  a drainage  area  about  Great  Salt  Lake.  The  rivers 
that  run  into  this  lake  are  not  important  commercially.  The 
Colorado  River  in  the  south  drains  a portion  of  Utah  and 
Arizona. 

With  the  exception  of  the  section  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  some  of  the  valleys  in  Idaho,  there  are  no 
large  areas  devoted  to  agriculture,  except  where  the  land 
can  be  irrigated.  The  average  rainfall  of  the  southern 
group  of  these  states  is  less  than  five  inches  a year,  which  is 
insufficient  for  raising  crops.  The  Mormons  of  Utah  were 
the  first  people  to  irrigate  the  land  where  they  built  their 
early  settlements.  Since  that  time  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment has  erected  large  irrigation  plants  in  the  states  of 
New  Mexico  and  Arizona.  In  these  plants  the  rivers  are 
ckeguned  up  and  the  stored  water  is  used  as  it  is  needed  upon 


190 


Our  Country 


the  dry  fields.  Wherever  the  fields  can  be  irrigated  valuable 
crops  are  raised,  showing  that  all  that  is  necessary  to  make 
that  soil  productive  is  an  abundant  water  supply. 

The  sides  of  many  of  the  mountains  are  heavily  cov- 
ered with  valuable  timber.  In  the  northern  states  of  this 
group  the  cutting  of  lumber  is,  therefore,  an  important  in- 
dustry. Many  of  the  trees  that  are  cut  on  the  mountains 
are  floated  down  in  flumes  to  the  cities  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
where  they  are  cut  up  into  boards  and  shipped  to  the  mar- 
kets of  the  country.  Spruce,  hemlock,  fir  and  some  of  the 
pines  are  the  principal  trees  that  are  used  for  making  lum- 
ber. As  so  many  trees  have  been  cut  off  throughout  this 
region,  the  United  States  has  set  aside  certain  areas  as 
Forest  Reservations.  In  these  areas,  foresters  are  em- 
ployed to  care  for  the  forests  and  cultivate  the  young  • 
trees  that  are  to  be  planted  in  areas  that  have  been  cut 
over.  One  of  the  most  serious  destructions  of  these  forests 
is  fire.  At  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  when  the  hills  are 
very  dry,  large  forest  fires  sweep  over  the  country,  burning 
up  thousands  of  acres  of  valuable  timber. 

Besides  the  Forest  Reservations,  the  government  has 
also  established  National  Parks.  The  most  important  of 
these  parks  is  found  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  Wyo- 
ming, and  is  called  the  Yellowstone  National  Park.  This 
park  contains  some  of  the  most  beautiful  scenery  to  be  found 
in  our  country.  It  has  beautiful  lakes  and  waterfalls,  ftiep 


The  Plateau  States 


191 


canyons  and  wonderful  boiling  springs.  The  Yellowstone 
River  has  cut  a canyon  about  1,200  feet  deep  that  is  one  of 
the  wonders  of  this  section.  Large  herds  of  wild  animals 
roam  through  the  woods,  protected  by  national  laws.  The 
reservation  is  opened  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  for 
visitors,  and  there  are  a number  of  lodges  and  hotels  that 
accommodate  those  who  desire  to  see  its  wonders.  Hunting 
is  prohibited  within  the  area  unless  special  permission  is  ob- 
tained from  the  government.  Yellowstone  Lake  is  located 
in  the  park  and  is  one  of  the  beautiful  sights  of  the  North- 
west. 

Many  of  the  mountain  ranges  in  these  western  states 
contain  valuable  deposits  of  precious  minerals.  Gold,  sil- 
ver, lead  and  copper  are  mined.  Both  Colorado  and  Ne- 
vada have  important  silver  mines,  and  much  of  the  silver 
used  in  the  coining  of  our  money  comes  from  the  latter 
state.  Some  gold  is  found  in  Colorado  and  New  Mexico. 
The  copper  mined  in  the  Rocky  Mountain  Ranges  comes 
mostly  from  Montana  and  Idaho.  Montana  contains  some 
of  the  largest  and  best  known  copper  mines  in  the  world. 
The  mines  at  Anaconda  and  Coeur  d’Alene  are  very  noted. 
Two  of  the  mines  found  in  this  area  produce  the  largest 
part  of  the  commercial  copper  in  use. 

The  three  states  located  in  the  southwestern  part  of 
this  plateau  section  have  extensive  desert  areas.  The  north- 
western part  of  Arizona,  most  of  Nevada  and  the  western 


192 


Our  Country 


part  of  Utah  form  the  Great  Basin  of  the  United  States. 
The  climate  is  arid  and  crops  do  not  grow  well.  Through 
the  northern  part  of  Arizona,  the  Colorado  River  has  cut 
a deep  canyon,  which  is  one  of  the  great  physical  features 
of  our  country.  The  main  part  of  the  canyon,  known  as 
the  Grand  Canyon,  is  about  one  mile  deep.  The  Colorado 
River  rises  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  flows  across  the  state  J 
of  Utah,  crosses  northern  Arizona,  and  empties  into  the  ■ 
Gulf  of  California.  The  river  has  been  at  work  cutting  its  i 
canyon  for  millions  of  years.  The  stream  itself  is  a rather 
insignificant  river,  and  it  is  difficult  for  one  to  understand 
how  so  small  a river  could  cut  so  deep  a canyon.  Through- 
out this  region  there  are  but  few  large  towns.  Most  of  the 
country  is  too  dry  for  farming  and  there  are  few  advantages 
for  manufacturing  industries.  The  grandeur  of  the  scen- 
ery is  its  most  attractive  feature. 

The  metropolis  of  the  plateau  states  is  the  city  of  Den-  ; 
ver,  Colorado.  This  large  city  is  located  on  the  eastern  slope 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  has  good  railroad  facilities.  It 
is  an  old  mining  town  which  has  grown  rich  and  prosperous 
on  account  of  its  natural  location  as  the  supply  center  for 
the  plateau  region.  Denver  also  has  large  manufacturing 
interests.  The  cattle  raised  upon  the  Great  Plains  to  the 
east  are  brought  to  its  slaughter  houses  and  prepared  for 


The  Plateau  States 


193 


market.  There  are  also  large  plants  for  the  manufacture 
of  machinery,  printed  matter  and  small  wares.  Smelters 
are  established  near  Denver  for  the  refining  of  lead  and 
copper. 

Most  of  the  cities  of  Colorado  owe  their  origin  to  the 
gold  and  silver  mines  near  which  they  are  located.  Such 
cities  as  Leadville  and  Cripple  Creek  are  situated  near  great 
mining  areas.  Besides  its  natural  scenic  advantages,  Col- 
orado has  some  mineral  springs.  Those  near  the  city  of 
Colorado  Springs  are  noted  for  their  medicinal  value. 

The  state  of  Wyoming  owes  its  prosperity  largely  to  its 
ranches.  There  are  great  sheep  and  cattle  farms  on  the 
eastern  slopes  of  its  mountains.  Rich  coal  deposits  have 
been  discovered  in  the  state,  and  there  are  valuable  mines 
of  iron,  copper,  gold  and  silver.  Irrigation  plants  have  been 
built  by  the  National  Government  and  this  newly  irrigated 
land  is  being  rapidly  opened  to  settlers.  Cheyenne,  the  cap- 
ital city,  is  a great  cattle  market.  Evanston  has  large  coal 
mines.  It  is  also  a great  stock-raising  center. 

Most  of  the  large  cities  of  Montana  are  located  in  the 
western  mountain  region.  The  eastern  part  of  the  state  is 
given  over  to  grazing  and  other  agricultural  activities.  The 
river  valleys  are  fertile  and  produce  good  crops.  There 
is  much  stock-raising  and  wool-growing  in  the  state. 


194 


Our  Country 


The  mines  of  Montana  produce  so  much  wealth  that  the 
cities  of  the  mining  section  have  grown  much  more  rapidly 
than  those  of  the  agricultural  section.  Helena  is  the  capital, 
and  is  an  important  center  for  mining  machinery.  It  has 
many  gold  mining  interests.  Virginia  City  in  the  south, 
Phillipsburg  and  Butte  in  the  west,  and  Kalispel  in  the  north 
are  cities  that  have  developed  rapidly  within  the  last  decade. 

The  western  part  of  the  state  of  Idaho  is  comparatively 
level,  and  agriculture  predominates.  Boise,  the  capital  city, 
is  located  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  state.  All  of 
the  northern  and  eastern  sections  of  Idaho  are  mountainous 
and  have  important  mineral  deposits.  This  state  is  located 
in  the  high  plateau  region  of  the  northwestern  part  of  our 
country,  and  is  a part  of  the  same  northwestern  plateau  that 
extends  over  the  states  of  Washington  and  Oregon.  The 
region  is  a lava  plateau  that  has  become  good  soil  through 
ages  of  erosion.  There  are  many  valuable  forests  in  the 
state,  and  wheat  is  the  largest  crop  raised.  The  Snake 
River  plunges  over  high  cliffs  forming  the  Shoshone  Falls. 
These  falls  are  among  the  most  beautiful  found  in  our 
country. 

The  Mormons  were  driven  from  the  Central  States  to- 
wards  the  west  many  years  ago  and  settled  in  the  northern 


The  Plateau  States 


195 


part  of  what  is  now  Utah.  At  the  time  of  their  settlement 
the  land  was  a desert,  but  through  their  industry  and  the 
use  of  irrigation  the  northern  part  of  the  state  has  become 
very  productive.  These  people  built  Salt  Lake  City  and 
other  nearby  towns.  Since  becoming  a state,  Utah  has  made 
rapid  progress.  Most  of  the  important  cities  of  the  state 
are  located  in  the  north  and  east.  West  of  Salt  Lake  is  a 
great  desert  that  has  never  been  irrigated.  In  the  southern 
section  of  the  state  there  are  few  towns ; the  land  being  un- 
desirable for  settlement.  Salt  Lake  City,  the  capital  of 
Utah,  is  an  important  railroad  center  and  a beautiful 
metropolis.  Beet  raising  and  sugar  manufacturing  are  im- 
portant industries. 

The  cities  of  Nevada  are  located  in  the  western  part  of 
the  state.  Most  of  them  owe  their  origin  to  the  presence 
of  silver  mines.  Carson  City  is  the  capital  and  Virginia 
City  is  one  of  the  important  towns.  There  is  not  much 
agriculture  in  the  state,  owing  to  the  lack  of  rainfall  and 
the  nature  of  the  soil.  Nearly  all  the  rivers  in  Nevada 
drain  into  the  Great  Basin  area.  These  rivers  rise  in  the 
mountains  and  flow  into  the  valleys,  where  they  disappear 
either  in  small  lakes  or  sink  into  underground  passages. 
In  many  sections  of  the  state  are  found  desert  areas,  such 
as  the  Black  Rock  desert  of  the  north  and  the  Ralston  desert 


196 


Our  Country 


AN  IRRIGATION  PLANT 
(Courtesy  U.  S.  Geological  Survey) 

of  the  south.  In  these  deserts  vegetation  is  exceedingly 
scarce,  very  little  growing  except  plants  that  are  especially 
adapted  to  arid  conditions. 

Arizona  and  New  Mexico  are  the  two  southern  states 
of  this  group.  They  were  the  last  territories  admitted 
into  the  union  as  states.  They  have  important  mining  in- 
dustries, and  in  the  sections  where  irrigation  has  been  un- 
dertaken they  produce  some  agricultural  crops.  Most  of 
the  cities  are  located  in  the  mining  areas.  Phoenix,  in  the 
central  part  of  Arizona,  is  the  capital  of  that  state,  and 
Santa  Fe,  in  the  northern  part  of  New  Mexico,  is  the  capital 
of  that  state.  The  Rio  Grande  flows  directly  across  New 


The  Plateau  States 


197 


Mexico  from  north  to  south  and  with  its  tributaries  forms 
the  most  important  di’ainage  system  of  the  state.  In  Ari- 
zona the  Colorado  drains  the  northern  part,  while  the  Gila 
River  drains  the  southern  part.  Both  of  these  states  have 
an  exceedingly  arid  climate  and  large  areas  of  waste  land. 
They  are  both  noted  for  the  grandeur  of  their  scenery  and 
for  being  extremely  healthful  resorts  for  invalids. 


THE  PACIFIC  STATES 


In  the  Pacific  Coast  section  of  our  country  there  are 
three  states  and  one  territory.  The  three  states,  California, 
Oregon  and  Washington,  are  on  the  western  coast  of  the 
United  States ; the  territory,  Alaska,  is  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  North  America.  Alaska  was  purchased  from  Russia 
and  has  proven  to  be  one  of  the  best  investments  that  the 
United  States  has  ever  made. 

The  three  states  of  the  western  group  are  well  located 
for  agricultural  activities.  The  Pacific  Ocean  lies  along  their 
western  border  and  the  prevailing  westerly  winds  bring  suf- 
ficient moisture  from  the  sea  for  agricultural  purposes. 
The  range  of  latitude  through  which  these  states  extend 
gives  them  a great  variety  of  climatic  conditions,  and  as  a 
consequence  many  different  kinds  of  crops  are  raised.  This 
group  of  states  is  also  well  protected  from  the  colder  winds 
of  the  north  and  east  by  the  mountain  ranges  that  extend 
along  their  eastern  border  from  north  to  south. 

With  the  exception  of  the  northwest  corner  of  Wash- 
ington, the  coast  line  is  extremely  regular  and  has  but  few 
good  harbors.  The  mountain  ranges  extend  near  the  coast, 
and  there  is  but  a small  coastal  plain  between  them  and 
the  ocean.  Two  almost  parallel  ranges  of  mountains  ex- 
tend across  these  states  from  north  to  south.  Near  the 


The  Pacific  States 


199 


coast  are  the  Coast  Ranges;  in  the  interior  of  the  country 
are  the  Cascade  and  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains.  Be- 
tween these  two  parallel  systems  are  several  very  fertile 
valleys.  The  mountain  ranges  are  high  enough  to  intercept 
the  rain-bearing  winds  of  the  Pacific  and  to  cause  their 
moisture  to  fall  upon  the  western  slopes.  It  is  owing  to 
the  height  of  these  ranges  that  the  states  of  the  Plateau 
Section  have  so  little  rainfall.  In  southern  California  the 
mountains  along  the  coast  are  so  high  that  the  southeastern 
area  of  the  state  receives  practically  no  rain  and  it  is  there- 
fore a great  desert.  This  rainless  section  is  known  as  the 
Mojave  Desert.  With  the  exception  of  this  arid  tract,  the 
three  states  offer  good  opportunities  for  agricultural  pur- 
suits. 

The  drainage  found  in  this  group  of  states  is  divided 
into  two  distinct  systems.  That  of  the  north  includes  the 
Columbia  River  and  its  tributaries.  The  states  of  Wash- 
ington and  Oregon  lie  in  this  drainage  system.  The  state 
of  California  has  its  own  drainage  system.  In  the  central 
part  of  this  state,  between  the  Coast  Range  and  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  is  a large,  fertile  valley  that  extends  through 
three-fourths  of  the  state.  This  valley  is  drained  by  the 
Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  rivers  that  empty  into  San 
Francisco  Bay.  The  Sacramento  River  flows  south  and  the 
San  Joaquin  north.  The  tributaries  of  both  these  rivers 
come  from  the  surrounding  mountains. 


200 


Our  Country 


Southern  Oregon  and  northern  California  have  many 
small  lakes,  some  of  which  are  of  volcanic  origin.  These 
lakes  are  found  in  the  great  lava  plateau  that  extends  over 
these  states.  This  plateau  is  one  of  the  interesting  forma- 
tions of  our  country.  It  was  formed  by  a flow  of  lava  that 
came  out  of  the  earth  and  spread  over  the  land.  There  was 
no  active  volcanic  eruption,  but  the  lava  came  from  the 
earth  and  flowed  over  the  surface  in  much  the  same  way  as 
cold  molasses  flows.  Where  such  a formation  takes  place 
it  is  called  intruded  lava.  This  plateau  is  large  and  fertile. 

In  these  western  states  there  are  many  volcanic  peaks, 
but  most  of  them  are  extinct  volcanoes.  Mount  Shasta 
in  northern  California  is  the  best  known  volcanic  peak  in 
our  country.  In  Oregon,  Mount  Mazama  has  a large  lake 
in  its  crater.  Some  of  the  peaks  found  among  these  west- 
ern mountains  are  noted  for  their  beauty.  In  Washington 
there  is  Mount  Rainier ; in  Oregon,  Mound  Hood ; and  in 
California,  Mount  Shasta  and  Mount  Whitney  are  noted 
for  their  scenic  beauty.  Most  of  these  mountains  had  never 
been  ascended  until  within  recent  years.  All  of  this  moun- 
tainous section  is-very  rugged  and  difficult  to  travel  over. 

Throughout  the  mountain  regions  of  these  three  states 
valuable  timber  is  found.  The  lumbering  industry  of 
Washington  and  Oregon  is  exceedingly  important.  Tall 
and  valuable  fir  trees  are  cut  from  the  slopes  of  the  moun- 
tains. Hardwood  pines  are  shipped  from  these  states.  In 


The  Pacific  States 


201 


California  the  Sequoias  grow  to  an  enormous  size.  Some 
of  these  trees  are  large  enough  to  be  tunneled  so  that  a 
roadway  may  pass  through  their  trunks.  In  all  three  of 
the  Pacific  States  wheat  is  an  important  food  product.  Both 
Washington  and  Oregon  are  located  far  enough  north  to 
come  within  the  wheat  area  of  our  country.  The  valley  of 
California  is  also  a good  wheat  section.  Corn,  oats  and  hay 
are  three  other  crops  that  are  produced  in  profitable  quan- 
tities. 

In  the  two  northern  states  of  this  group  the  fishing 
industry  is  very  important.  The  Columbia  River  supplies 
much  of  the  salmon  sold  in  our  markets.  Salmon  leave  the 
ocean  and  ascend  the  river  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year 
for  breeding  purposes.  During  these  times  the  fishermen 
catch  them  with  little  trouble  and  carry  them  to  the  can- 
neries where  they  are  prepared  and  canned  for  the  market. 
Many  other  salt  water  fish  are  caught  along  the  coast. 

The  state  of  California  extends  south  of  the  35th  paral- 
lel of  latitude.  Although  this  state  is  farther  north  than 
most  of  our  Southern  States,  most  of  it  has  a much  milder 
climate  than  any  of  the  Gulf  or  South  Atlantic  States. 
With  the  ocean  on  its  west,  and  being  in  the  path  of  the 
warm  westerly  winds,  its  winters  are  extremely  mild.  Un- 
der these  conditions  California  raises  many  tropical  fruits, 
such  as  oranges  and  lemons.  In  the  highland  sections, 
where  the  climate  is  somewhat  colder,  peaches  and  apples 


202 


Our  Country 


A CALIFORNIA  FRUIT  ORCHARD 
(Courtesy  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey) 

are  raised  in  abundance.  California  produces  a large  yield 
of  these  fruits. 

In  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  state  of  Washington, 
a great  valley  between  the  hills  has  been  overflowed  by  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  This  has  given  to  the  state  numerous  good 
harbors.  This  drowned  valley  has  a fiord  formation  and 
offers  important  waterways  for  the  export  trade  of  this 
part  of  the  country.  The  cities  of  Seattle,  Tacoma  and 
Olympia  are  located  on  arms  of  this  body  of  water,  called 
Puget  Sound.  These  cities  have  important  lumber  indus- 
tries and  prominent  manufacturing  plants.  Seattle  has  be- 


The  Pacific  States 


203 


A SAWMILL 

(Copyright  Detroit  Photographic  Co.) 

come  the  metropolis  of  the  northwestern  part  of  our  coun- 
try within  the  past  few  years.  Although  located  in  the  far 
north,  almost  to  the  48th  parallel  of  latitude,  the  city  has  a 
mild  climate,  owing  to  the  warm  westerly  winds  that  reach 
it.  East  of  the  Cascade  Range  of  mountains  the  state  of 
* Washington  is  given  up  to  agricultural  and  mining  products. 
; Spokane,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  state,  is  near  the 
mining  area,  and  is  also  a gateway  for  agricultural  products, 
i Walla  Walla,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  is  a dis- 
; tributing  point  for  the  surrounding  country.  Both  of  these 
cities  are  important  railroad  centers.  Olympia,  the  capital 
t of  the  state,  is  located  at  the  southern  end  of  Puget  Sound. 


204 


Our  Country 


Over  one-half  of  £he  state  of  Oregon  lies  east  of  the 
Cascade  Mountains.  This  part  of  the  state  is  devoted  to 
cattle  raising  and  other  agricultural  activities.  Baker  City  j 
is  the  largest  settlement  east  of  the  mountains  and  is  the 
distributing  point  of  the  northeastern  part  of  the  state.  : 
West  of  the  Cascade  Mountains  is  the  Willamette  Valley,  j 
This  valley,  drained  by  the  Willamette  River,  is  an  impor- 
tant farming  district.  Besides  the  agricultural  crops  of 
the  section,  there  are  large  sheep  ranches  there.  Most  of 
the  important  cities  of  Oregon  are  located  in  this  valley. 
Salem,  the  capital,  and  Portland,  the  chief  city,  are  on  the 
Willamette  River.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River 
is  Astoria,  a city  built  on  the  site  of  the  first  trading  post 
established  in  the  northwestern  territory. 

The  state  of  California  contains  the  best  harbor  on  the 
Pacific  coast  south  of  Puget  Sound.  This  harbor  is  known 
as  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco.  It  was  made  by  the  drown- 
ing of  a small  valley  in  the  Coast  Range  Mountains.  The 
metropolis  of  the  state,  San  Francisco,  is  built  on  the 
southern  peninsula  between  this  bay  and  the  ocean.  San 
Francisco  is  the  largest  city  on  the  western  coast  and  has 
an  important  foreign  trade.  It  is  a large  commercial  center 
with  many  manufacturing  industries.  The  entrance  to  San 
Francisco  Bay  is  known  as  the  Golden  Gate.  This  is  a nar- 
row passageway  between  the  two  peninsulas  that  form  the 


The  Pacific  States 


205 


western  boundary  of  the  bay.  Most  of  the  transcontinen- 
tal lines  of  railroad  terminate  at  the  city  of  Oakland,  on 
the  eastern  shores  of  the  bay.  Grouped  about  this  bay  are 
a number  of  towns  that  owe  their  importance  to  their  com- 
mercial connections  with  San  Francisco. 

In  the  valley  of  California  are  the  cities  of  Sacramento 
and  Stockton.  Sacramento  is  the  capital  of  the  state  and  is 
located  in  an  agricultural  area.  Much  of  the  wheat  raised 
in  this  valley  is  sent  to  Stockton  and  Sacramento  for  ship- 
ment. In  the  southern  part  of  California  is  the  city  of  Los 
Angeles.  It  is  the  center  of  a large  fruit-growing  area  and 
is  noted  for  its  beautiful  surroundings  and  its  pleasant  cli- 
mate. Throughout  the  district  in  which  Los  Angeles  is 
located  are  rich  deposits  of  petroleum. 

The  territory  of  Alaska  forms  a peninsula  in  the  north- 
western part  of  North  America.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
west  by  the  Arctic  and  Pacific  oceans  and  on  the  east  by 
Canada.  It  extends  southwestward  into  a small  arm  that 
terminates  in  a chain  of  islands.  This  narrow  penin- 
sula partly  incloses  Bering  Sea.  The  territory  of  Alaska 
is  twice  as  large  as  Texas  and  is  an  important  part  of 
our  country.  The  southern  and  central  sections  are  oc- 
cupied by  ranges  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  that  are  very 
rugged.  Mount  McKinley,  Mount  St.  Elias,  and  Mount 
Fairweather  are  three  of  the  most  noted  peaks  of  these 


206 


Our  Country 


ranges.  Mount  McKinley,  in  the  southern  part  of  Alaska, 
is  thought  to  be  the  highest  peak  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Highlands. 

Most  of  Alaska  is  a plateau.  Along  the  northern  coast 
the  land  is  low  and  continually  frozen.  These  frozen 
marshes  of  the  North  are  called  tundras.  They  are  only  ! 
valuable  for  the  wild  animals  and  fish  that  are  caught 
within  their  borders.  The  main  drainage  area  of  Alaska 
is  the  Yukon  River  and  its  tributaries.  This  is  a large  sys-  : 
tern,  about  one-third  the  size  of  the  Mississippi  system. 
The  Yukon  River,  like  the  Mississippi  River,  is  building  a 
large  delta  at  its  mouth.  The  stream  is  navigable  during 
the  open  season  for  about  1,500  miles,  but  as  it  is  frozen 
for  eight  months  in  the  year,  navigation  is  not  very  ex- 
tensive. I 

The  main  products  of  Alaska  in  the  past  have  been  gold, 
fish  and  furs.  Within  recent  years  important  deposits  of 
coal  have  been  discovered,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before 
this  territory  will  supply  much  of  the  coal  used  by  our 
western  cities.  Just  beyond  the  border  of  Alaska,  in  Can- 
ada, are  the  great  Klondike  gold  fields.  The  gold  of  this 
section  has  drawn  many  immigrants  and  built  up  many 
large  cities.  Most  of  these  cities  are  located  along  the 
southern  coast.  Juneau,  the  capital  of  Alaska,  is  situated 
on  the  southern  coast.  South  of  this  city  is  the  city  of 
Sitka,  which  is  the  most  important  trading  town  of  the 
territory.  Nome  is  located  in  the  mining  region  and 


The  Pacific  States 


207 


has  important  commercial  interests.  It  is  the  distributing- 
point  of  the  central  and  northern  parts  of  the  territory. 
Far  up  the  Yukon  River  is  a rich  agricultural  area 
that  will  produce  valuable  crops  when  it  is  opened  to  agri- 
culture. 


OUR  ISLAND  POSSESSIONS 


Our  country  owns  many  islands  scattered  over  the 
earth’s  surface.  Some  of  them  are  near  our  coast  while 
others  are  far  across  the  Pacific  Ocean.  It  has  only  been 
within  recent  years  that  the  United  States  has  acquired 
foreign  territory,  but  now  our  government  has  possessions 
along  the  coast  of  Asia,  in  the  middle  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
and  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Some  of  these  island  posses- 
sions have  come  to  us  as  a result  of  the  Spanish-American 
War,  others  have  been  annexed  as  territories  at  the  request 
of  their  inhabitants. 

About  two  thousand  miles  from  the  city  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, in  the  midst  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  is  a group  of 
islands  known  as  the  Hawaiian.  Eight  islands  of  this  group 
are  important.  They  lie  in  about  the  same  latitude  as 
Porto  Rico,  one  of  the  islands  of  the  West  Indies,  and  extend 
from  the  southeast  to  the  northwest.  All  of  them  are  of 
volcanic  origin  and  they  contain  at  the  present  time  many 
active  volcanoes.  Hawaii  is  the  largest  and  gives  its  name 
to  the  whole  group.  Mauna  Loa  and  Mauna  Kea  are  two 
famous  volcanic  peaks  in  Hawaii. 

The  valleys  of  these  islands  are  fertile  and  the  rainfall 
is  abundant  for  raising  tropical  crops,  but  most  of  the  land 
consists  of  rugged  volcanoes  and  many  lava  fields.  Sugar, 


Our  Island  Possessions 


209 


rice,  coffee  and  tropical  fruits  are  the  chief  products.  Since 
the  United  States  has  acquired  this  group  of  islands,  agri- 
culture has  been  carried  on  in  a more  scientific  way  than 
formerly.  The  natives  are  adaptable  and  learn  easily.  They 
are  a happy,  pleasure-loving  people,  light-hearted  and  very 
fond  of  music.  They  belong  to  the  brown  race  and  are  the 
most  intelligent  people  to  be  found  on  any  of  the  islands  in 
the  Pacific  except  the  Philippines.  Besides  the  native  peo- 
ple of  Hawaii,  there  are  many  Japanese  and  Chinese  settlers 
in  the  islands. 

In  1894  the  white  people  of  this  group  rebelled  against 
the  ruling  chiefs  and  formed  a republic.  In  1898  the 
islands  were  annexed  to  the  United  States  and  have  since 
had  a territorial  form  of  government.  With  our  other  in- 
terests in  the  East,  these  islands  form  an  important  center 
for  our  commercial  and  naval  activities. 

Honolulu  on  the  island  of  Oahu  is  the  most  important 
city.  It  has  a fine  harbor  and  large  ocean  steamers  load 
and  unload  at  its  wharves.  The  city  has  regular  steamship 
connections  with  San  Francisco  and  with  the  ports  along 
the  Asiatic  coast.  The  city  is  a favorite  resort  for  tourists 
on  account  of  its  very  agreeable  climate.  Hilo  on  the  island 
of  Hawaii  is  another  important  settlement  in  this  terri- 
tory. This  city  has  a good  coastwise  trade  and  is  the  sup- 
ply center  for  other  towns  and  settlements  of  the  island. 

The  group  of  islands  known  as  the  Philippines  came  un- 
der the  control  of  our  country  after  our  war  with  Spain. 


210 


Our  Country 


These  islands  lie  off  the  coast  of  southeastern  Asia.  There 
are  about  fourteen  of  them,  but  many  are  small  and  unim- 
portant. There  are  only  eleven  important  ones,  the  largest 
of  which  is  Luzon.  Luzon  is  about  equal  to  the  state  of 
New  York  in  size.  West  of  the  Philippines  is  the  China 
Sea  and  east  of  them  is  the  broad  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  Philippines  are  of  volcanic  origin  and  have  many 
active  craters.  There  are  hot  springs,  lava  flows  and  other 
proofs  that  volcanic  activity  has  taken  place  in  the  recent 
past.  Most  of  the  mountain  ranges  have  a north  and  south  j 
direction  and  their  peaks  rise  a mile  and  a half  above  the  I 
sea.  The  river  valleys  and  the  plains  along  the  coast  are 
extremely  fertile  and  well  suited  to  the  growing  of  tropical 
crops.  The  period  from  May  to  October  is  the  rainy  season,  ! 
although  there  are  light  rains  during  the  other  months  of 
the  year.  The  climate  of  the  Philippines  is  torrid,  but  the 
great  extent  of  the  islands  to  the  north  and  the  south  gives 
a variety  of  both  heat  and  rainfall.  The  sea  breezes,  espe- 
cially during  the  nights,  are  always  cool. 

The  islands  are  covered  with  numerous  forests  that  yield 
valuable  woods  used  in  cabinet  making.  Some  of  the  trees  || 
produce  a juice  that  is  used  for  dyeing  purposes.  Bamboo 
grows  over  all  -the  islands  and  is  used  by  the  natives  in 
the  construction  of  their  homes.  Tobacco  is  the  chief  field 
crop  grown,  although  sugar  is  fast  becoming  a leading 
product.  Manila  hemp  is  used  for  the  weaving  of  mats 


Our  Island  Possessions 


211 


and  making  ropes.  Large  crops  of  rice  are  raised  in  the 
lowlands  and  this  cereal  is  used  by  the  natives  as  their  prin- 
cipal food.  All  eastern  people  like  rice  and  its  cheapness 
makes  it  a very  desirable  food  product.  Pineapples,  oranges 
and  bananas  grow  in  great  abundance  throughout  the 
islands. 

Many  of  the  Pacific  islands  near  this  group  contain 
large  and  ferocious  wild  animals,  but  the  Philippines  seem 
to  have  escaped  the  scourge  of  these  beasts  of  prey.  Wild 
hogs  and  buffaloes  are  found  in  the  forests,  but  the  only 
dangerous  beast  of  prey  is  a small  wild  cat.  The  domesti- 
cated buffalo  is  used  by  the  natives  as  a beast  of  burden. 
This  buffalo  is  known  as  the  water  buffalo  from  its  habit 
of  frequenting  the  streams  and  bays.  Along  the  highlands 
sheep  and  goats  are  raised.  Small  tropical  animals,  such  as 
monkeys,  are  found  in  the  forests.  The  mineral  resources 
of  this  group  of  islands  have  not  yet  been  developed.  There 
are  deposits  of  gold,  iron,  copper  and  coal  that  will  prob- 
ably be  worked  in  the  future.  Zinc  and  sulphur  also  have 
been  found  in  certain  localities. 

The  native  people  of  the  Philippines  are  a small,  black 
race,  now  found  only  in  the  mountains.  They  are  very 
unattractive  in  appearance,  having  the  thick  lips,  the  wide 
nostrils  and  the  black  hair  that  are  characteristics  of  the 
negroid  races.  These  primitive  people  were  driven  into 
the  mountains  by  the  superior  Brown  or  Malay  race  that 


212 


Our  Country 


came  to  the  islands.  Most  of  the  present  population  belongs 
to  the  latter  race.  Many  Chinese  have  settled  in  the  large 
towns  and  entered  into  the  different  trades  of  the  islands. 

Since  the  United  States  has  acquired  possession  of  this 
country,  thousands  of  Americans  have  settled  in  it.  The 
United  States  Government  keeps  a standing  army  for  the 
protection  of  its  people  in  the  main  cities  and  outposts 
of  the  country.  Hundreds  of  American  school  teachers 
have  become  identified  with  the  educational  systems  which 
have  been  established  for  the  improvement  of  the  people. 
We  have  never  considered  the  Philippines  as  a distinct  part 
of  our  country,  but  hold  them  in  trust  for  the  natives, 
hoping  that  some  time  these  people  may  be  able  to  gov- 
ern themselves.  The  occupation  of  the  country  by  the 
American  army  has  been  especially  beneficial  to  all  forms 
of  industry  and  trade.  The  cities  have  been  cleaned  and 
rebuilt. 

Manila  is  the  capital  and  largest  city  of  the  archipelago. 
It  is  situated  on  the  island  of  Luzon  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Pasig  River.  It  has  a fine  harbor  and  a large  foreign  trade. 
The  city  is  the  natural  supply  center  for  all  of  this  coun- 
try and  is  connected  by  steamship  lines  with  the  principal 
Asiatic  and  United  States  ports.  Iloilo  on  the  island  of 
Panay  is  the  second  most  important  city  of  the  islands. 
Exports  of  hemp,  tobacco,  and  sugar  are  sent  from  it  and 
manufactured  articles  and  clothing  are  imported. 

About  sixteen  hundred  miles  east  of  Manila  is  a little 


Our  Island  Possessions 


213 


island  called  Guam.  This  island  was  obtained  from  Spain 
at  the  end  of  the  Spanish  War.  It  is  important  to  us  only 
as  a naval  coaling  station.  It  has  only  a few  American  in- 
habitants and  no  important  foreign  trade.  It  is  one  of  the 
group  of  islands  known  as  the  Ladrones.  These  are  all  vol- 
canic and  still  have  some  active  craters  in  them.  Guam  is 
the  largest  island  of  this  group. 

Tutuila  and  Mauna,  two  islands  owned  by  the  United 
States,  lie  south  of  the  equator  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  They 
belong  to  a group  known  as  the  Samoan  Islands.  For  a 
number  of  years  these  islands  were  governed  by  native 
rulers,  but  during  recent  troubles  Great  Britain,  Germany 


214 


Our  Country 


and  the  United  States  divided  the  group  among  themselves. 
The  natives  are  extremely  skillful  in  sailing  their  frail 
canoes  over  the  rough  waters  of  the  ocean.  They  have 
many  of  the  characteristics  of  the  Hawaiian  people,  being 
a happy,  music-loving  race.  The  Samoans  belong  to  the 
Brown  race.  The  largest  of  the  islands  is  owned  by  Ger- 
many and  the  two  that  are  owned  by  our  country  are  unim- 
portant except  as  coaling  stations.  The  best  harbor  is 
found  at  the  little  town  of  Pago  Pago  on  the  island  of 
Tutuila. 

One  very  small  island  that  our  country  owns  in  the 
Pacific  is  Wake  Island.  It  is  an  unimportant  possession,  but 
is  interesting  for  its  coral  formation.  The  little  coral  polyps 
have  built  up  reefs  and  bars  and  formed  a small  island  out 
in  the  ocean.  There  are  no  people  living  on  this  island,  but 
it  is  covered  with  many  tropical  trees. 

Our  possessions  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean  are  several 
islands  belonging  to  the  West  Indies  group.  These  islands 
came  to  us  as  a result  of  the  Spanish-American  War.  The 
island  of  Porto  Rico  is  the  largest  and  most  important  of 
these  possessions.  It  is  rectangular  in  shape,  about  one 
hundred  miles  long  and  thirty-five  miles  wide.  It  is  sit- 
uated southeast  pf  Cuba,  being  the  third  important  island 
of  this  group.  Although  the  island  belongs  to  a chain 
stretching  from  South  America  to  the  straits  of  Florida, 
it  has  no  active  volcanoes  such  as  many  of  the  other  islands 


Our  Island  Possessions 


215 


have.  The  general  structure  of  the  West  Indies  is  volcanic 
but  most  of  the  large  islands  no  longer  contain  active  vol- 
canoes. 

The  mountains  of  Porto  Rico  are  less  than  a mile  in 
height.  The  interior  of  the  island  consists  of  rolling  hills, 
well  covered  with  forests.  Small  rivers  run  from  these 
hills  through  valleys  to  the  sea.  The  coastal  regions  have 
a savanna  formation.  Porto  Rico  is  situated  in  the  torrid 
zone,  and  therefore  experiences  the  usual  wet  and  dry  sea- 
sons typical  of  that  location.  The  lowlands  are  hot  through- 
out most  of  the  year  with  some  cool  weather  during  the 
winter  months.  The  rainy  season  occurs  during  the  hot- 
test months  of  the  year,  but  the  island  is  so  well  drained 
that  its  climate  is  healthful. 

The  most  valuable  product  obtained  from  Porto  Rico  is 
coffee.  The  coffee  plant  grows  luxuriantly  upon  the  hill- 
sides and  there  are  many  valuable  coffee  plantations 
throughout  the  island.  Sugar  ranks  next  in  importance  to 
the  coffee  crop.  In  addition  to  these  products,  the  island 
raises  considerable  tobacco.  The  roads  have  been  greatly 
improved  since  the  Americans  took  possession.  Modern 
methods  of  agriculture  have  done  much  to  increase  the 
prosperity  of  the  people.  About  a million  people  live  in 
Porto  Rico.  One-third  of  these  are  negroes.  Most  of  the 
white  people  are  descendants  of  the  Spanish  race.  Within 
recent  years  many  Americans  have  gone  there  and  become 


216 


Our  Country 


engaged  in  educational,  agricultural,  or  manufacturing  pur- 
suits. 

The  towns  are  situated  along  the  coast.  San  Juan,  the 
capital  and  chief  city,  is  in  the  northern  part  of  the  island. 

It  has  a fine  harbor  and  important  trade  relations  with  the 
seacoast  towns  of  the  United  States.  Ponce  is  the  most 
important  city  of  the  southern  section.  It  is  connected 
with  the  capital  by  a fine  road  which  was  originally 
built  for  military  purposes.  The  imports  of  this  city  are 
chiefly  manufactured  cloth,  metal,  watches  and  machinery. 
Porto  Rico  has  an  insular  form  of  government — that  is, 

! 

it  is  not  yet  a territory  and  does  not  have  representation  in 
our  congress.  The  President  appoints  the  governor  of  the 
island,  who  is  accountable  solely  to  him  for  its  administra- 
tion. 

East  of  Porto  Rico  are  a number  of  islands  known  as 
the  Virgin  Islands.  These  islands  are  very  mountainous, 
but  they  have  many  fertile  valleys.  Sugar  is  the  prin- 
cipal crop  raised  in  these  valleys.  Of  the  Virgin  Islands, 
the  United  States  owns  two  important  ones — Vieques  and 
Culebra — and  a few  small  rocky  islands.  Our  country 
has  endeavored  to  purchase  several  others  from  European 
governments  that  own  them,  but  has  been  unable  to  do  so. 


THE  CAPITAL  OF  OUR  COUNTRY 


The  city  of  Washington,  the  capital  of  our  country,  was 
not  located  on  account  of  any  geographic  condition.  It  is 
not  a railroad  center  for  the  transportation  of  goods.  It 
was  not  established  with  regard  to  any  commercial  advan- 
tage. It  was  selected  by  George  Washington  as  the  seat  of 
our  government  and  was  located  near  the  center  of  the 
original  thirteen  colonies.  The  manner  of  its  location  was 
political  rather  than  commercial  or  geographical.  The  city 
is  built  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Potomac  River  in  what  is 
known  as  the  District  of  Columbia.  Originally  the  district 
embraced  territory  in  both  Maryland  and  Virginia,  but  now 
it  includes  only  what  was  once  in  the  state  of  Maryland. 

In  the  city  of  Washington  is  located  the  capitol  building 
of  our  country  and  all  the  other  buildings  used  by  the 
different  departments  of  our  government.  The  corner 
stone  of  the  capitol  was  laid  in  1793,  but  the  building 
was  not  completed  for  many  years.  It  has  large  wings 
in  which  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  meet, 
and  an  imposing  dome  which  is  one  of  the  grand  sights  of 
our  country.  It  stands  on  a small  hill  about  one  hundred 
feet  above  the  Potomac  River.  It  is  the  most  noted  build- 
ing in  the  United  States  and  one  that  is  always  visited  by 
foreigners  when  they  come  to  our  country.  Its  dome  may 


THE  WASHINGTON  MONUMENT 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 


The  Capital  of  Our  Country 


219 


be  seen  for  miles  along  the  river.  About  a mile  and  a quar- 
ter from  the  capitol  is  the  Washington  Monument.  This  is 
a large  white  marble  obelisk  that  rises  55514  feet  above  the 
ground.  It  is  the  tallest  monument  of  stone  in  the  world. 
Pure  white  in  color,  plain  and  simple  in  design,  it  is  a fit- 
ting memorial  to  the  first  President  of  our  country.  It  rises 
majestically  above  the  plains  of  the  Potomac,  and  as  the 
sun  is  sinking  in  the  west,  its  coloring  is  a beautiful  sight. 

Washington  is  a city  of  magnificent  buildings,  avenues, 
and  streets.  The  avenues  radiate  in  the  form  of  spokes 
of  a wheel  and  are  broad  and  well  kept.  Near  the  end  of 
one  of  the  avenues  from  the  capitol  is  the  White  House. 
This  building  is  the  official  residence  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States.  Its  exterior  is  very  simple  and  also  very 
beautiful.  Within  the  building  are  many  priceless  gifts 
received  from  other  nations.  Valuable  paintings  of  past 
executives  hang  on  its  walls.  The  building  was  set  on  fire 
by  the  British  during  the  War  of  1812,  but  was  not  totally 
destroyed.  Since  that  time  it  has  been  remodeled  and 
redecorated  throughout.  As  our  country  has  grown  in  size 
and  the  duties  of  our  President  have  become  more  ex- 
acting, an  addition  to  the  White  House  has  been  built  to 
accommodate  the  officers  and  clerks  needed  for  the  transac- 
tion of  official  business.  This  addition  is  located  on  the 
terraces  near  the  President’s  mansion,  and  it  is  not  easily 
seen  from  the  street.  Here  the  President  has  his  office  and 


220 


Our  Country 


his  secretaries  are  located  near  him.  Here  he  can  work  un- 
disturbed. 

Washington  is  called  the  City  of  Magnificent  Distances. 
This  name  was  given  it  on  account  of  the  fact  that,  when 
it  was  first  established,  its  streets  were  laid  out  on  a large 
scale.  At  one  time  in  its  early  history  it  was  the  most  ill- 
kept  city  in  the  country,  but  now  it  has  grown  wonder- 
fully and  the  broad  streets  are  well-kept  and  the  city  has 
become  very  beautiful.  As  new  departments  have  been 
added  to  the  national  government,  numerous  public  build- 
ings have  been  erected  to  accommodate  them.  The  State, 
War  and  Navy  Departments  are  housed  in  a large  building 
made  of  granite  that  is  very  imposing  in  its  architecture. 
The  Treasury  Department  has  a building  devoted  entirely 
to  its  own  use.  Here  most  of  the  money  used  in  the  United 
States  is  kept  until  it  is  sent  to  various  parts  of  the  coun- 
try where  it  is  needed.  The  Treasury  Building  also  holds 
the  reserve  funds  that  the  United  States  keeps  on  hand 
for  any  emergency  that  may  arise.  Closely  connected  with 
the  Treasury  Building  is  the  Bureau  of  Printing  and  En- 
graving. This  bureau  prints  all  the  paper  money  we  use. 
Worn-out  bills  are  returned  to  this  department  and  new 
ones  issued  in  place  of  the  old  bills. 

The  Post  Office  Department  is  located  on  Pennsylvania 
Avenue.  This  office  has  control  of  all  the  post  offices  of 
the  country  and  has  charge  of  the  distribution  of  all  mail. 


The  Capital  of  Our  Country 


221 


The  Post  Office  is  one  of  the  most  important  departments 
that  the  government  has,  as  it  reaches  out  into  every  village 
and  hamlet  in  the  country.  Every  home  is  connected  in 
some  way  with  the  post  office  department  at  Washington. 
Stamps  used  on  our  letters  are  issued  from  this  center,  and 
all  the  rural  routes  in  the  country  are  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  Postmaster  General. 

There  are  many  other  departments  of  the  government 
in  Washington  that  occupy  large  buildings  devoted  solely  to 
their  needs.  Within  recent  years  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture has  erected  a series  of  modern  buildings  that  are 
the  most  thoroughly  equipped  of  any  in  the  world.  This 
department  has  charge  of  all  the  agricultural  interests  in 
the  country,  keeps  in  touch  with  the  state  agricultural  col- 
leges, and  has  full  control  of  the  different  experiment  sta- 
tions located  in  the  various  states.  Besides  this  work,  the 
department  also  comes  in  personal  touch  with  the  farmers 
through  the  issuance  of  its  bulletins.  These  are  small  pub- 
lications on  every  agricultural  subject.  Crop  and  weather 
reports  are  distributed  from  Washington  or  from  some  of 
the  many  local  offices  throughout  the  country.  The  influ- 
ence that  this  one  department  has  upon  our  daily  life  is 
very  important.  Much  of  the  work  done  by  the  Department 
of  Agriculture  is  educational.  It  deals  directly  with  the 
agricultural  colleges  and  often  exerts  its  influence  for  the 
benefit  of  the  common  schools  by  extending  such  help  as  it 
may  be  able  to  give. 


222 


Our  Country 


Another  department  is  that  of  printing.  The  United 
States  Government  owns  its  own  printing  establishment 
and  has  its  own  plant  for  making  books,  maps  and  circu- 
lars. All  the  deliberations  of  Congress  are  printed,  so  that 
the  people  of  the  country  may  know  what  is  going  on  in 
our  legislative  halls.  Thousands  of  books  that  contain 
much  valuable  information  are  printed  every  year  and  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  country.  Our  government  also 
prints  maps  of  the  different  sections  of  the  country.  Each 
of  these  is  valuable  and  should  be  studied  more  largely  by 
our  people.  The  soil  maps  are  useful  to  the  farmer,  while 
the  topographic  maps  give  us  a very  exact  idea  of  the  struc- 
ture of  our  country.  The  coast  survey  charts  are  used 
by  navigators  when  sailing  along  the  coast;  they  are  very 
exact  and  contain  all  the  physical  features  of  the  coasts, 
together  with  the  locations  of  lighthouses,  life-saving  sta- 
tions, and  other  objects  the  government  uses  for  the  pro- 
tection of  navigation.  The  maps  that  our  government 
issues  are  the  best  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world. 

The  Department  of  Commerce  and  the  Bureau  of  Edu- 
cation do  important  work.  The  Department  of  Commerce 
looks  after  both  domestic  and  foreign  trade  of  the  country. 
It  has  to  do  with  compiling  statistics,  the  recording  of  trade 
conditions,  and  the  dissemination  of  any  news  that  will  be 


The  Capital  of  Our  Country 


223 


valuable  to  commercial  interests.  The  Bureau  of  Educa- 
tion looks  after  educational  matters.  It  issues  bulletins  on 
educational  subjects  and  endeavors  in  every  way  possible 
to  encourage  and  foster  better  educational  opportunities. 
It  sends  extension  workers  to  schools  that  need  them  and 
keeps  a close  record  of  all  educational  progress. 

Many  people  are  engaged  in  government  work.  If  we 
take  into  account  all  those  who  have  something  to  do  with 
the  administration  of  our  government,  we  shall  find  that 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  men  and  women  are  necessary 
to  carry  on  the  work  that  our  country  demands.  Wash- 
ington is  the  chief  center  of  this  governmental  busi- 
ness, just  as  New  York  is  the  leading  commercial  center  of 
the  country.  As  government  regulations  have  much  to  do 
with  the  prosperity  of  the  country,  the  business  of  our 
people  is  often  affected  by  the  laws  and  regulations  that  are 
enacted  by  Congress  at  Washington.  There  is  no  other  city 
in  the  United  States  that  has  as  many  distinguished  men 
in  it  during  the  year  as  the  capital.  Besides  the  President 
and  his  Cabinet,  there  are  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
members  of  Congress,  representatives  of  foreign  nations 
and  many  other  people  prominent  in  all  ranks  of  life. 

In  addition  to  the  government  buildings  which  are  occu- 
pied by  our  national  departments,  there  are  many  other 


224 


Our  Country 


LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 
(Copyright  Detroit  Photographic  Co.) 

notable  buildings  in  the  city.  One  of  these  is  the  Congres- 
sional Library.  This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  struc- 
tures in  America.  It  contains  the  library  of  Congress  and 
is  used  by  our  legislators  whenever  they  desire  to  consult 
books  of  reference  upon  the  work  in  which  they  are  en- 
gaged. The  library  is  the  most  beautifully  decorated  build- 
ing found  anywhere.  The  stone  used  in  its  interior  is  so 
beautiful  in  color  and  texture  that  it  has  often  been  called 
a Vision  in  Stone.  It  contains  many  statues,  beautiful 
paintings  and  mementos  of  different  ages  and  nations.  Any 
one  may  use  the  library,  but  books  may  be  taken  out  only 
by  congressmen  and  government  officials.  There  are  more 


The  Capital  of  Our  Country 


225 


than  a million  volumes  in  the  library  at  the  present  time 
and  it  is  so  well  arranged  that  nearly  five  million  books 
could  be  placed  in  it  if  necessary.  In  this  wonderful  library 
are  copies  of  every  copyrighted  book  published  in  the  United 
States. 

Another  of  the  important  institutions  in  Washington 
is  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  This  is  a national  museum 
founded  by  a gift  from  James  Smithson  in  1846.  The 
money  left  to  found  this  institution  was  given  for  the 
“increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  among  men.”  The 
Smithsonian  Institution  has  become  of  great  importance  to 
the  country.  It  is  the  leader  in  the  collection  of  historical 
relics,  geographical  and  biological  specimens.  The  Institu- 
tion sends  out  men  to  every  part  of  the  world  to  collect  and 
bring  back  specimens  of  the  birds,  animals,  plants  and  min- 
erals of  the  countries  visited. 

Another  important  building  is  the  Corcoran  Art  Gallery. 
This  gallery  contains  a wonderful  collection  of  statuary  and 
paintings.  Our  government  has  not  yet  spent  much  money 
on  the  collection  of  objects  of  art,  but  as  time  goes  on  it 
undoubtedly  will  increase  the  number  of  the  works  of  art 
gathered  in  the  national  capital.  The  value  of  such  things 
is  in  the  great  educational  and  cultural  influences  that  they 
exert  on  the  people  who  visit  them.  Our  country  is  still  too 
young  to  have  the  great  museums  which  the  nations  of 
Europe  have  founded. 


226 


Our  Country 


Washington  has  many  beautiful  homes.  Some  of  the 
representatives  of  foreign  governments  who  are  sent  to  this 
country  live  in  stately,  magnificent  mansions.  Some  of  the 
foreign  nations  own  the  buildings  occupied  by  their  minis- 
ters. These  representatives  of  foreign  governments  lend 
much  brilliancy  to  the  social  life  of  the  capital.  Some  mem- 
bers of  Congress  own  homes  on  the  beautiful  avenues  or 
streets  of  Washington.  Besides  these  officials  there  are 
many  citizens  of  the  city  who  live  in  beautiful  homes. 


OUR  LARGEST  CITY 


New  York  is  the  largest  and  most  important  city  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  the  best  known  of  all  American  cities, 
because  its  people  have  business  connections  with  almost 
every  country  on  the  globe.  This  city  is  the  gateway 
through  which  many  foreign  immigrants  enter  our  country. 
The  island  of  Manhattan  on  which  the  city  of  New  York 
is  built,  is  located  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson  River.  It  is 
about  seventeen  miles  long  and  three  miles  wide.  It  con- 
stitutes the  main  part  of  the  city.  Within  recent  years  the 
population  has  increased  so  rapidly  that  New  York  has  been 
obliged  to  extend  its  boundaries  so  as  to  take  in  a part  of 
the  mainland  of  the  state,  the  western  end  of  Long  Island 
and  all  of  Staten  Island.  New  York  City  is  the  natural 
outlet  for  the  food  products  of  the  West  that  are  shipped 
to  foreign  countries.  The  Mohawk  and  the  Hudson  River 
valleys  form  a natural  gateway  for  transportation  of  the 
products  of  the  Middle  West.  Through  these  valleys  come 
thousands  of  trains  and  canal  boats  laden  with  wheat,  corn 
and  meats.  These  products  are  brought  to  the  city  of  New 
York  and  transferred  to  large  steamers  that  carry  them  to 
the  countries  of  Europe. 

At  the  present  time  the  city  contains  over  five  million 
people  and  the  population  is  increasing  rapidly  every  year. 


NEW  YORK  FROM  THE  HARBOR 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 


Our  Largest  City 


229 


New  York  is  the  second  largest  center  of  population  in  the 
world,  ranking  next  to  London.  Besides  Greater  New  York, 
there  are  many  adjacent  towns  having  important  business 
relations  with  it.  Hoboken,  Jersey  City  and  Newark  are 
really  parts  of  the  business  life  of  New  York  City,  although 
they  are  not  included  in  the  city  proper. 

New  York  harbor  consists  of  two  bays,  the  Upper  and 
the  Lower.  The  Upper  Bay  is  the  main  harbor  and  is  a 
very  convenient  place  for  the  anchorage  of  trading  ships. 
Long  Island  protects  it  on  the  east  from  the  storms  of  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  while  New  Jersey  and  Staten  Island  shield 
it  on  the  south.  The  bay  is  a broad  expanse  of  water,  about 
eight  miles  long  and  five  miles  wide.  There  is  ample  room 
on  its  surface  for  all  the  commercial  water  craft  that 
ply  between  this  city  and  other  ports.  The  Upper  Bay  is 
connected  with  the  Lower  Bay  by  means  of  a channel  called 
The  Narrows.  The  Lower  Bay  affords  excellent  anchorage 
for  vessels  before  entering  the  Upper  Bay.  In  the  Lower 
Bay  is  located  the  quarantine  station,  where  passengers  are 
inspected  before  being  allowed  to  land  on  our  shores.  If 
those  who  desire  to  enter  the  United  States  are  found  to  be 
affected  with  contagious  diseases  they  are  kept  in  the  quar- 
antine station  on  Hoffman  Island  until  all  danger  from  the 
diseases  is  past. 


230 


Our  Country 


Boats  may  be  seen  in  the  harbor  from  nearly  every 
country  on  the  earth.  Large  ocean  steamers  have  regular 
days  for  sailing  and  carry  many  passengers  and  large  car- 
goes between  this  port  and  the  seaports  of  Europe.  Aside 
from  the  regular  transatlantic  steamers,  many  tramp  steam- 
ers come  into  New  York  harbor.  Tramp  steamers  are  ves- 
sels that  do  not  have  any  specified  sailing  route.  They  take 
whatever  cargoes  they  can  get  and  carry  them  to  the  ports 
to  which  they  are  consigned.  To  furnish  docks  and  wharves 
for  the  thousands  of  vessels  that  come  into  New  York  har- 
bor requires  a great  deal  of  room,  but  the  harbor  is  large 
enough  to  accommodate  much  more  shipping  than  now 
comes  into  it.  There  are  over  twenty-five  miles  of  wharf- 
age along  Manhattan  Island.  Brooklyn  on  Long  Island  and 
Jersey  City  in  New  Jersey  furnish  extra  room  that  is  used 
for  some  of  the  shipping  of  this  port.  Many  of  the  German 
steamers  have  their  wharves  on  the  Jersey  side  of  the  har- 
bor. Small  ferryboats  are  continually  moving  from  one 
section  of  the  city  to  the  other,  carrying  passengers  and 
vehicles  to  their  destinations.  There  are  also  numerous 
lines  of  steamers  that  go  up  the  Hudson  River  from  piers 
on  the  western  side  of  the  city.  These  steamers  carry  pas- 
sengers and  freight  and  do  a’heavy  business  with  many  in- 
land towns  of  the  state. 

The  main  city  of  New  York  is  connected  with  most  of  its 
outlying  parts  by  large  bridges.  The  largest  bridges  have 


Our  Largest  City 


231 


been  built  between  the  island  of  Manhattan  and  Long  Island 
and  connect  Brooklyn  with  the  principal  part  of  the  city. 
The  first  of  these  bridges  to  be  erected  was  the  old  Brooklyn 
bridge.  A few  years  after  the  erection  of  this  bridge  it 
was  found  to  be  wholly  inadequate  to  accommodate  the  large 
number  of  people  who  crossed  daily  from  Brooklyn  to  New 
York.  Within  the  last  few  years  several  other  bridges  have 
been  erected  between  New  York  and  Brooklyn. 

The  Hudson  River  connects  New  York  harbor  with  the 
interior  of  the  state  of  New  York.  This  river  is  navi- 
gable as  far  north  as  the  city  of  Albany  and  is  connected 
with  Buffalo  by  means  of  a canal.  Another  canal  connects 
the  Hudson  River  with  Lake  Champlain.  Many  lines  of 
railroad  that  take  care  of  the  commerce  of  that  section  of 
the  state  extend  up  the  Hudson  Valley.  Some  of  the  rail- 

! roads  that  go  to  the  middle-west  areas  pass  through  the  Mo- 
hawk Valley  and  follow  the  course  of  the  Great  Lakes  until 
they  reach  the  great  food  producing  regions  of  the  country. 

There  is  no  better  place  to  see  how  the  vast  business 
and  commerce  of  our  country  is  carried  on  than  in  a city 
like  New  York.  Trains  and  vessels  that  enter  the  city  dis- 
charge their  cargoes  at  enormous  warehouses  which  are 
often  stacked  with  goods  and  machinery  to  the  value  of 
millions  of  dollars.  Manhattan  Island  is  not  large  and  the 
work  of  transporting  both  people  and  freight  without  con- 
fusion is  a very  complicated  task.  Hundreds  of  thousands 


232 


Our  Country 


of  people  who  do  business  in  the  city  live  outside  of  its 
limits.  These  people  must  come  to  their  offices  in  the  morn- 
ing and  go  back  to  their  homes  at  night.  Most  of  the  busi- 
ness is  transacted  in  the  southern  end  of  Manhattan  Island 
and  many  of  the  business  people  live  near  the  northern  end. 
These  people  also  have  to  be  transported  at  least  twice  a day. 

A few  years  ago  most  of  this  transportation  was  done 
by  street  cars  drawn  by  horses.  This  was  a slow  and 
cumbersome  way  of  moving  the  crowds  in  the  city.  As 
New  York  increased  in  population  some  new  method  of 
transportation  had  to  be  inaugurated.  The  first  change 
from  the  old  horse-cars  was  to  cable  lines.  Large  cables 
were  placed  under  the  ground  between  the  car  tracks  and 
were  used  to  pull  the  street  cars  along.  With  the  intro- 
duction of  electricity  the  cable  lines  were  supplanted  by 
the  trolley.  As  the  surface  cars  were  not  numerous  enough 
to  accommodate  all  the  people,  many  elevated  roads  were 
built  over  the  streets  to  help  solve  the  problem.  At  first 
these  roads  were  run  by  steam,  but  now  electricity  has 
been  substituted.  Even  the  surface  and  the  elevated  cars 
were  not  capable  of  handling  the  increasing  population  and 
so  subways  were  built.  These  subways  run  beneath  the 
streets  and  cars  are  run  in  them  just  as  they  are  run  on 
the  elevated  roads. 

On  account  of  the  crowded  condition  of  the  city,  the  price 
of  land  is  exceedingly  high.  As  the  price  of  land  has  in- 


SKYSCRAPERS 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 


234 


Our  Country 


creased,  the  height  of  the  buildings  has  been  increased  cor- 
respondingly, and  now  there  are  buildings  in  the  city  thirty 
or  more  stories  high.  These  skyscrapers  are  noted  the 
world  over  and  form  a distinct  type  of  architecture  found 
nowhere  else  in  such  numbers.  Most  of  the  business  houses 
are  located  south  of  the  central  part  of  the  city,  but  as  com- 
merce has  increased,  stores  have  encroached  upon  the  resi- 
dence sections. 

One  of  the  most  important  things  a city  has  to  guard 
is  its  water  supply.  When  so  many  people  live  within  a 
restricted  area,  it  is  necessary  that  the  water  supply  be 
abundant  and  pure.  In  the  early  days  of  New  York,  the 
inhabitants  supplied  themselves  from  springs  and  wells 
on  the  island,  but  these  original  sources  could  not  supply 
a large  population.  At  the  present  time  water  is  brought 
from  Croton  Lake,  a body  of  water  thirty  miles  north,  to 
large  reservoirs  in  the  city.  From  these  reservoirs  it  is 
pumped  to  various  stations  and  distributed  throughout  the 
city.  In  1880  the  needs  of  the  city  had  outgrown  Croton 
Lake  and  an  artificial  lake  was  constructed  far  up  the  Hud- 
son River  valley.  Besides  the  amount  of  water  used  by 
the  people  of  the  city,  millions  of  gallons  are  used  by  manu- 


facturing plants.  . 

In  a large  city  like  New  York,  one  of  the  important  de- 
partments of  the  city  government  is  that  which  has  charge 
of  cleaning  the  streets  and  carrying  off  all  refuse.  This 


Our  Largest  City 


235 


STREET  CLEANING 
(Copyright  Detroit  Photographic  Co.) 

department  of  the  city  is  called  its  Health  Department. 
Every  owner  or  tenant  is  required  to  keep  his  premises  clean 
and  to  place  all  trash  in  cans  where  the  wagons  of  the  Board 
of  Health  can  get  it  and  take  it  out  of  the  city  limits.  These 
wagons  pass  each  house  daily  and  take  all  the  refuse  to 
the  places  where  it  is  burned.  Besides  carrying  off  the 
rubbish  and  dirt  from  the  houses,  all  the  streets  must 
be  cleaned.  Special  men  are  employed  for  this  purpose  and 
their  duties  are  to  wash  the  streets  and  sweep  off  all  accum- 
ulated dirt.  During  the  winter  thousands  of  dollars  are 
spent  in  removing  the  snow  from  the  streets.  This  snow 
is  loaded  on  large  wagons  and  carted  to  the  edge  of  the 


236 


Our  Country 


river  where  it  is  dumped  into  the  water.  Several  thousand 
men  are  kept  busy  keeping  the  city  clean. 

Another  duty  of  the  Board  of  Health  is  to  look  after 
sickness  and  contagious  diseases  that  occur  within  the  city 
limits.  Every  case  that  is  contagious  must  be  reported  to 
the  Board  of  Health  and  the  patient  quarantined  or  re- 
moved to  a hospital  where  the  disease  may  be  treated.  If 
the  sickness  is  very  dangerous,  the  patient  is  sometimes  re- 
moved to  isolated  buildings  where  he  cannot  come  in  con- 
tact with  other  people.  Not  only  must  the  Board  of  Health 
control  all  contagious  and  infectious  diseases,  but  it  must 
prevent  sickness  as  far  as  possible.  In  order  to  do  this  it 
inspects  the  foods  that  are  sold  in  the  markets  of  the  city, 
especially  such  foods  as  meat  and  milk,  which  are  likely  to 
carry  disease  germs.  Most  of  the  deaths  in  the  city  occur 
among  children  less  than  a year  old,  and  great  care  is  exer- 
cised in  inspecting  the  milk  sold  by  the  various  creameries 
throughout  the  city.  The  living  and  working  conditions  of 
the  people  also  demand  care.  Certain  sanitary  requirements 
must  be  complied  with  before  any  large  number  of  people 
are  allowed  to  gather  together  in  a building. 

In  every  large  city  it  is  necessary  to  have  many  parks. 
Houses  are  built  so  close  together  and  some  streets  are  so 
narrow  that  living  conditions  are  not  the  best.  In  order  to 
give  children  a place  to  play,  and  older  people  an  oppor- 
tunity for  recreation,  large  spaces  for  parks  are  set  aside  in 


Our  Largest  City 


237 


SKATING  IN  CENTRAL  PARK 
(Copyright  Detroit  Pub.  Co.) 

various  sections  of  the  city.  Sometimes  these  parks  are  in 
connection  with  the  school  houses  of  the  district ; sometimes 
they  are  only  open  squares  at  the  intersection  of  streets. 
Wherever  it  is  possible,  grass  and  flowers  are  grown  and 
shade  trees  cultivated.  In  the  lower  parts  of  New  York, 
many  of  the  streets  are  so  narrow  and  the  buildings  so  high 
that  very  little  fresh  air  can  be  obtained.  During  the  hot 
days  of  summer,  many  of  the  poorer  people  are  obliged  to 
sleep  on  the  roofs  of  houses  or  in  any  open  places  that  they 
may  find. 

Central  Park  is  a large  tract  of  land  located  directly  in 
the  center  of  the  city.  It  is  reserved  for  the  enjoyment 


238 


Our  Country 


of  the  inhabitants.  It  is  two  and  a half  miles  long  and  one- 
half  mile  broad.  About  one-half  its  area  is  in  natural 
growth,  which  is  preserved  by  the  laws  of  the  city.  Within 
the  park  are  excellent  playgrounds,  a twenty-acre  lake,  and 
a menagerie  of  wild  animals.  The  park  has  cost  the  city 
about  seventeen  million  dollars,  but  its  present  value  is 
much  greater  than  this. 

Among  the  small  parks  found  in  New  York  are  Union 
Square,  Washington  Square  and  City  Hall  Square.  Along 
the  west  side  of  the  city,  from  72nd.  street  north,  is  Riv- 
erside Drive.  This  is  a beautiful  park  about  three  miles 
long  on  the  sloping  bank  of  the  Hudson  River.  It  has  a 
very  fine  driveway,  a good  bridle  path  and  many  paths  for 
walking.  Most  of  the  parks  in  the  city  have  been  purchased 
at  enormous  cost  because  the  price  of  land  has  increased  so 
much  with  the  increase  of  population. 

The  educational  system  of  the  city  is  considered  good. 
It  has  been  difficult  to  supply  schools  enough  to  take  care  of 
all  the  children.  Some  schools  in  the  city  have  as  many  as 
two  thousand  pupils  attending  daily.  A few  of  the  schools 
hold  two  sessions  daily  in  order  to  accommodate  all  the 
children  in  the  neighborhood.  New  York  has  many  noted 
colleges  and  universities.  One  of  them,  Colombia  University, 
was  established  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  at  that 
time  was  called  Kings  College,  but  this  name  did  not  sound 
just  right  to  the  patriots  after  they  had  gained  their  inde- 


Our  Largest  City 


239 


pendence  from  England,  so  the  name  was  changed  to  Co- 
lumbia. This  university  is  not  supported  by  public  taxes, 
but  has  been  richly  endowed  by  wealthy  men.  The  city  has 
its  own  college,  supported  by  taxation,  which  is  called  the 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York.  This  institution  carries 
on  the  educational  work  of  the  city  beyond  the  usual  high 
school  courses. 

Besides  its  schools  and  colleges,  New  York  City  has  fine 
museums.  In  these  museums  are  stored  many  of  the  art 
treasures  of  the  world.  Beautiful  paintings,  famous  statu- 
ary and  important  collections  of  antiques  are  kept  in  these 
museums  for  the  benefit  of  the  people.  At  certain  hours  of 
the  day  these  buildings  are  opened  and  the  public  is  allowed 
free  access.  Besides  its  museums  of  art  and  natural  history, 
New  York  has  a great  library.  This  is  the  union  of  several 
libraries  that  have  been  donated  to  the  city  by  noted  men. 
Libraries  are  of  much  advantage  to  a people,  because  they 
bring  information  within  easy  reach  of  everyone.  The  city 
is  the  home  of  many  prominent  publishing  houses  of  this 
country.  The  books  and  papers  that  come  from  its  presses 
help  to  educate  its  people  and  to  make  their  living  condi- 
tions better. 

New  York  City  is  a great  manufacturing  center.  Many 
of  the  raw  products  of  other  parts  of  the  country  are 
sent  there  to  be  manufactured  into  marketable  commodi- 
ties. It  is  also  well  located  for  distributing  the  manufac- 


240  Our  Country 

tured  products  to  other  parts  of  our  country  and  to  foreign 
nations.  The  commerce  of  New  York  reaches  all  parts  of 
the  globe.  Raw  materials  are  brought  from  nearly  every 
nation  and  manufactured  products  are  sent  back  in  ex- 
change. The  manufacturing  industries  of  the  city  are  ex- 
tremely varied.  Clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  books,  papers, 
cigars,  and  all  forms  of  metal  work  constitute  the  principal 
manufactured  products.  In  Brooklyn  are  located  large  su- 
gar refining  plants  that  take  the  raw  product  from  the 
Southern  States  and  Cuba  and  manufacture  it  into  the  sugar 
that  we  use  on  our  tables.  Almost  any  kind  of  article  may 
be  obtained  from  the  factories  within  the  limits  of  the  city. 


THE  PANAMA  CANAL 


The  Isthmus  of  Panama  joins  North  America  and 
South  America.  This  narrow  neck  of  land  has  long  stood 
in  the  way  of  a short  water  route  between  the  cities  on  our 
eastern  coast  and  those  on  the  western  coast.  When  freight 
was  sent  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco  by  boat,  it  had  to 
pass  around  the  southern  end  of  South  America.  This  was 
a long  and  expensive  way  to  ship  merchandise  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  ports.  As  our  country  progressed 
in  its  industrial  activities,  our  people  saw  that  a canal  built 
across  the  Isthmus  would  be  of  great  commercial  advantage. 
Several  European  nations  had  been  interested  in  this  project 
in  the  past,  but  with  the  exception  of  France,  none  of  them 
did  any  actual  work  in  digging  a waterway  from  one  ocean 
to  the  other. 

The  Isthmus  of  Panama  has  figured  prominently  in  the 
history  of  the  Western  Hemisphere.  In  1500,  a Spaniard 
named  Balboa  landed  on  the  Isthmus  and  made  his  home 
there.  He  married  the  daughter  of  an  Indian  chief  and 
settled  down  as  an  inhabitant  of  the  North  American  conti- 
nent. Thirteen  years  later  he  organized  a company  that 
crossed  the  Isthmus  on  foot  and  discovered  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  Following  this  journey  a settlement  was  made  on 
the  Pacific  coast  that  later  became  the  city  of  Panama. 


242 


Our  Country 


Roadways  were  constructed  between  this  city  and  the  set- 
tlements on  the  Atlantic  coast.  These  roadways  were  later 
improved  and  used  to  transport  the  rich  spoils  that  the 
Spaniards  succeeded  in  wresting  from  the  natives. 

The  distance  across  the  Isthmus  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific  is  about  fifty  miles.  The  early  Spanish  settlers 
conceived  the  plan  of  cutting  a canal  through  the  land  to 
permit  their  boats  to  pass  from  one  ocean  to  the  other.  It 
is  said  that  a Spanish  engineer  by  the  name  of  Saavedra 
was  the  first  to  suggest  this  enterprise.  Charles  V.  of  Spain 
ordered  surveys  made,  but  the  reports  of  his  engineers  con- 
cerning the  difficulties  of  the  undertaking  caused  the  scheme 
to  be  abandoned. 

In  1814,  the  importance  of  a canal  across  the  Isthmus 
was  fully  realized  by  Spain.  That  country  had  many  Amer- 
ican colonies  which  were  gradually  drifting  away  from  her 
and  she  felt  that  a canal  would  increase  her  influence  with 
the  Central  American  states.  A lack  of  sufficient  capital 
delayed  active  work,  and  while  the  matter  was  being  con- 
sidered her  American  colonies  revolted  and  established  their 
independence.  This  eliminated  Spain  from  all  future  ac- 
tivities in  canal  building  on  the  Isthmus. 

In  1825,  a franchise  was  given  by  the  Central  American 
states  to  a Frenchman,  Baron  Thierry.  When  he  failed  to 
raise  the  required  capital  to  undertake  the  work,  English 
engineers  were  employed  to  make  a survey  to  build  either 


The  Panama  Canal 


243 


a railroad  or  a canal.  In  1830,  some  enterprising  citizens 
of  the  United  States  entered  into  negotiations  with  the 
Central  American  republics,  but  it  was  not  until  five  years 
later  that  our  country  did  any  active  work  toward  canal 
building.  In  that  year  Henry  Clay  introduced  in  the  Senate 
a resolution  that  led  to  the  sending  of  an  engineer  to  the 
Isthmus.  This  engineer  was  to  report  upon  the  most  avail- 
able route  for  an  interoceanic  canal.  On  account  of  the 
money  panic  in  1837,  nothing  further  was  done  at  that  time 
by  our  country. 

In  1838  a new  French  company  was  granted  a conces- 
sion for  the  construction  of  a railroad  and  a canal  across 
the  Isthmus.  The  government  of  France  sent  an  engineer 
to  report  on  the  undertaking,  but  nothing  definite  was  ac- 
complished. Concessions  to  both  Americans  and  French- 
men were  granted  at  various  times  following  this  date,  but 
the  only  active  work  done  in  establishing  communication 
between  the  two  oceans  was  the  building  of  the  Panama 
Railroad.  This  road  was  completed  in  1855.  The  construc- 
tion of  the  Panama  Railroad  delayed  the  building  of  a canal 
for  many  years  and  turned  the  attention  of  waterway  engi- 
neers to  other  countries  north  of  Panama. 

When  it  was  seen  that  the  United  States  was  not  likely 
to  do  anything  toward  building  a canal,  a new  French  com- 
pany was  organized  to  undertake  the  work.  In  1878,  Ferdi- 
nand de  Lesseps  formed  the  Universal  Interoceanic  Canal 


244 


Our  Country 


Company  and  a concession  was  obtained  from  the  Colom- 
bian government  for  the  construction  of  a canal.  The  Cen- 
tral American  country  of  Colombia  owned  the  strip  of  ter- 
ritory through  which  it  was  planned  to  dig  the  waterway. 
De  Lesseps’  company  agreed  to  pay  the  Panama  Railroad 
Company  for  loss  sustained  wherever  the  canal  invaded  the 
land  of  the  railroad.  It  was  planned  to  construct  a sea 
level  canal  from  Limon  Bay  to  Panama  Bay.  A sea  level 
canal  is  one  that  is  dug  to  the  level  of  the  sea  and  the  ocean’s 
waters  are  allowed  to  pass  through  it.  In  a canal  of  this 
kind,  boats  may  pass  through  without  much  trouble. 

The  plans  for  this  canal  were  extremely  complicated  and 
expensive.  The  great  divide  of  the  North  American  con- 
tinent passes  across  the  Isthmus.  These  mountains  formed 
an  obstacle  that  was  very  serious  to  overcome.  The  French 
company  planned  a tunnel  through  these  mountains  large 
enough  for  ocean  steamers  to  pass  through.  Another  ob- 
stacle that  gave  some  trouble  was  the  differences  between 
the  times  of  high  tide  on  the  two  sides  of  the  Isthmus. 
Tidal  waves  pass  around  the  world  from  east  to  west.  It 
was  thought  that  when  it  was  high  tide  on  the  Atlantic  side 
it  would  be  low  tide  on  the  Pacific  side.  They  feared  that 
if  the  canal  was  opened  at  sea  level,  this  Atlantic  tide  would 
pass  through  it  with  much  force  and  cause  great  damage 
to  boats  that  happened  to  be  in  the  canal.  In  order  to  pre- 
vent this,  the  French  engineers  planned  to  make  the  Pa- 


The  Panama  Canal 


245 


cific  end  of  the  canal  about  six  feet  lower  than  the  Atlantic 
end. 

In  the  section  of  the  Isthmus  through  which  the  canal 
was  to  pass  was  a river  known  as  the  Chagres.  During  the 
dry  months  of  the  year  this  river  was  little  more  than  a 
small  stream,  but  during  the  rainy  season  its  waters  rose 
forty  feet  and  became  very  troublesome.  The  French 
engineers  made  no  plans  to  utilize  this  river.  They  thought 
that  they  could  control  its  flood  by  dividing  its  chan- 
nel. After  work  had  progressed  to  some  extent  they 
found  that  the  tunnel  through  the  mountains  was  impracti- 
cable and  decided  the  highlands  would  have  to  be  cut  down 
to  sea  level.  This  cut  came  to  be  known  later  as  the  Culebra 
Cut.  The  expense  of  the  work  increased  so  much  that  a 
sea-level  canal  was  abandoned  and  a lock  canal  was  substi- 
tuted. 

A lock  canal  is  used  where  vessels  are  to  be  raised  from 
one  level  to  another.  This  type  of  canal  does  not  require  as 
much  excavating  as  does  the  sea  level  type  and  is  therefore 
much  cheaper  to  build.  Vessels  are  carried  over  the  high- 
lands instead  of  through  them.  This  is  accomplished  by 
means  of  locks.  Locks  are  like  large  docks  with  gates  at 
each  end  which  can  be  opened  or  closed.  When  the  lock 
gates  are  opened  the  water  in  the  canal  flows  in  so  a vessel 
can  enter  it.  After  the  vessel  is  safely  in  the  lock  the  gates 
are  closed  and  water  is  let  in  from  above,  which  lifts  the 


246 


Our  Country 


A LOCK  IN  THE  PANAMA  CANAL 
CCourtesy  Panama  Canal  Com.) 

vessel  to  the  level  of  the  next  lock.  When  this  occurs  the 
gates  between  these  two  locks  are  opened  and  the  vessel 
is  allowed  to  pass  into  the  second  lock.  If  the  vessel  is 
going  down  the  canal,  the  water  in  the  lock  is  let  out  so  that 
the  vessel  will  sink  to  the  level  of  the  next  lock.  The  vari- 
ous locks  look  like  a series  of  steps  or  terraces  in  the  canal. 

The  French  company  proved  a failure,  owing  to  dishon- 
esty among  some  of  its  officials.  In  1889  it  became  bank- 
rupt and  all  work  stopped.  Five  years  later  another  com- 
pany attempted  to  do  some  work  on  the  canal  in  order  to 
hold  the  concession.  When  progress  had  practically  ceased 
at  Panama,  and  there  seemed  little  likelihood  of  the  French 


The  Panama  Canal 


247 


completing  the  work,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
authorized  the  President  to  make  all  necessary  investiga- 
tions toward  completing'  it.  After  much  debate  concerning 
the  best  route  for  the  canal,  the  Panama  concession  was 
bought  from  the  French  company.  The  Republic  of  Pan- 
ama, which  secured  its  independence  from  Colombia  by  a 
revolution,  sold  to  the  United  States  the  strip  of  territory 
in  which  the  canal  is  situated.  This  strip  of  territory  is 
ten  miles  wide  and  extends  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  It  is  called  the  Canal  Zone.  The  cities  of  Colon  and 
Panama,  located  at  the  ocean  ends  of  this  land,  belong  to 
the  Republic  of  Panama.  With  the  acquisition  of  this  area 
the  United  States  guaranteed  the  independence  of  the  Re- 
public of  Panama. 

After  the  United  States  had  obtained  control  of  the 
Canal  Zone,  work  was  pushed  forward  rapidly.  At  first 
private  engineering  concerns  attempted  to  do  the  work  for 
the  government,  but  these  were  replaced  by  Army  engi- 
neers. To  these  persistent  workers  is  due  the  credit  of 
building  the  greatest  canal  in  the  world.  The  engineering 
work  has  been  well  done  and  the  Canal  Zone  has  been  made 
a place  where  white  men  can  live  comfortably. 

To  Colonel  Goethals  was  given  the  task  of  supervising 
the  construction  and  he  has  performed  a work  that  will 
stand  as  a lasting  monument  to  his  honesty  and  efficiency. 
The  Canal  Zone  is  located  in  a low,  swampy  area  of  the 


248 


Our  Country 


tropics.  The  health  conditions  were  extremely  bad.  One 
of  the  most  important  departments  of  the  work  was  the 
health  department.  The  management  of  this  department 
was  entrusted  to  Col.  Gorgas.  Under  this  great  health  of- 
ficer the  Canal  Zone  became  as  healthful  a place  as  man 
could  wish.  The  entire  administration  of  this  undertaking 
reflects  great  credit  on  the  army  and  its  officers. 

The  plan  adopted  by  the  United  States  engineers  was 
for  a lock  canal  about  fifty  miles  long,  with  its  highest  ele- 
vation about  85  feet  above  sea  level.  A dam  at  Bohio  across 
the  Chagres  River  controls  the  water  level  of  this  elevation. 
The  summit  elevation  is  reached  on  the  Atlantic  side  by  a 
flight  of  three  locks  located  at  Gatun.  On  the  Pacific  side 
it  is  reached  by  two  locks  at  Miraflores  and  by  one  at  Pedro 
Miguel.  At  Gatun  is  a large  dam  and  an  artificial  lake  made 
of  water  from  the  Chagres  River. 

The  canal  is  about  fifty  miles  long.  It  varies  in  width 
from  300  feet  to  600  feet.  The  minimum  depth  at  present 
is  41  feet.  A vessel  entering  the  canal  from  the  Atlantic 
side  will  proceed  at  sea  level  to  the  Gatun  Locks  through  a 
channel  500  feet  wide.  At  the  Gatun  Locks  the  vessel  will 
be  raised  by  three  locks  to  an  elevation  of  85  feet,  which  is 
the  level  of  Gatun  Lake.  From  Gatun  Lake  to  the  Pedro 
Miguel  Lock  the  vessel  will  pass  through  the  famous  Cu- 
lebra  cut.  This  is  the  excavation  made  through  the  moun- 
tains that  pass  lengthwise  through  the  Isthmus.  At  the 


The  Panama  Canal 


249 


BOAT  PASSING  THROUGH  CANAL 
(Courtesy  Panama  Canal  Com.) 

Pedro  Miguel  Locks  the  vessel  will  be  lowered  to  the  level 
of  Miraflores  Lake,  fifty-five  feet  above  sea  level.  At  the 
western  end  of  this  lake  are  two  locks  that  lower  the  vessel 
to  the  level  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  time  taken  to  pass 
through  the  entire  canal  is  about  ten  hours. 

The  canal  was  opened  in  1914  to  the  vessels  of  the  world. 
It  is  of  great  importance  to  the  commerce  of  our  country, 
as  it  saves  much  time  and  money  in  the  transportation  of 
goods  by  water  between  our  Atlantic  and  Pacific  ports.  It 
shortens  the  sailing  routes  between  the  ports  of  Europe  and 
Asia,  because  vessels  that  were  once  obliged  to  pass  around 
South  America  now  use  the  canal. 


Form  335— 40M— 6-39— S 

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